Slow Burn
by Crazedtroll
Summary: In another world, Caitlin and Harrison dance about each other as they work towards activating the accelerator. Incomplete, will take suggestions and requests. Trying to tear down a block! Please help! Definite Snow/Wells
1. Chapter 1

_**Greetings! Normally I don't post a story until it is done. As I struggle with other stories, I thought I'd see if there was any interest in this one. I started this as a thank you to my Beta. Unfortunately, I finished the first two chapters right before she informed me she could no longer Beta for me. So, this story has sat since then. The basic idea is, pre-accelerator explosion at S.T.A.R. labs. There is no Ronnie and Harrison is really Harrison. Slow build to Snow/Wells. I'm trying to have each chapter be a story within itself. Each chapter slowly building the relationship between Caitlin and Harrison. Let me know what you think! All mistakes are my own. Not my properties and I make no monies from this. -CT**_

 **Chapter 1: Snowmageddon**

The sound of her feet hitting the floor echoed around her. She found it oddly comforting. Normally, Dr. Caitlin Snow ran outside, but today she was using the indoor track that looped around her workplace. It was snowing like crazy out, with well over a foot already built up on the ground. While Dr. Wells had graciously announced that nobody would be required to come in during the storm, he'd also announced the availability of beds, showers, and free food for anyone who wanted to stay at the lab. With nowhere else to go, Caitlin had signed up for a sleep room and settled in for the duration of the storm. It seemed that she was about the only one who had aside from janitorial staff. She didn't mind. She was enjoying the solitude.

Music suddenly blasted through the air, swallowing the sound of her footsteps. Frowning, Caitlin slowed a little, looking around trying to figure out what was going. It was still very early in the morning. She hadn't expected anyone to take over the sound system. Most everyone who ran on the track wore headphones. As she looked around she was surprised to see a tall figure running towards her. Blue eyes sparkled beneath the Santa hat he wore as the other jogger quickly caught up with and passed Caitlin, the man's long legs pumping easily. Frowning in annoyance at the smile and wink he flashed at her as he passed, Caitlin picked up her speed.

It might have been a foolish idea, racing her boss, but Caitlin couldn't help it. Decked out in his hat, a bright blue long sleeved shirt, and black shorts, Doctor Harrison Wells passed her so easily while wearing that irritating smile that it made Caitlin's blood boil. Eyes narrowing on the man's backside, Caitlin raced as fast as she could. She caught up with him, exchanging a determined look with Dr. Wells as they ran. Instead of looking annoyed or upset, Dr. Wells grinned wider and ran faster.

"What?" Eyes widening, Caitlin pumped her arms harder. To her irritation, Dr. Wells laughed as she caught up with him. They ran like that for a good five minutes or so before Dr. Wells pulled ahead and Caitlin had to slow down. As she slowed to her original pace, Caitlin decided that if they'd started at the same time, she might have beaten Dr. Wells. While he was just starting his morning jog, she was half-way through her workout. He was running on fresh legs.

The music continued to blare. It was so loud that Caitlin couldn't even identify what was playing. Really, it was rude of Dr. Wells to take over the sound system. He should have worn headphones. Frowning, Caitlin realized that Dr. Wells had been wearing headphones. If he was listening to his own music on the head phones, who was blasting on the overhead? The thought had just popped into Caitlin's head when Dr. Wells pulled even with her once more. Flashing that annoying smile of his, the one that made his eyes sparkle in a maddeningly attractive way, he passed her.

Shaking her head in frustration, Caitlin picked up her speed, catching sight of his backside once more. Deciding she was going to finish her last lap strong, she dumped on speed, catching up with him. As she pulled even with him, Dr. Wells once more glanced at her, this time his eyes were dancing before he smiled. Realizing that he was, and had been, genuinely smiling at her, Caitlin frowned in surprise. Who knew Dr. Harrison Wells enjoyed having a jogging companion? They locked gazes and Caitlin managed to smile back at him.

Looking forward once more, Caitlin's eyes widened as she saw something rolling on the ground toward them. Unfortunately, Dr. Wells didn't have time to react so he ended up planting his foot smack on what appeared to be a remote controlled car. With a shout that could be heard over the blasting music, Dr. Wells fell to the floor. Throwing his arms out, he tried to catch himself, but he ended up on the floor in a crumpled heap. Stopping, Caitlin pulled her own earphones out of her ears and immediately knelt next to the man.

"Dr. Wells, are you okay?" Caitlin started sweeping her eyes over him to check for injuries.

"Cisco!" Dr. Wells shouted as he rolled over onto his back. He was clutching his left hand to his chest, and his face was so red it almost matched his Santa hat, which had fallen to the floor. His right hand strayed to his head, and he immediately looked around and grabbed up the hat.

"Dr. Wells, what happened?" Caitlin couldn't stop the question. She was shocked to see Dr. Wells's shaved head and the sutured cut which ran from his right temple to behind his right ear. There was bright bruising all around the laceration and almost to his right eye. It was obvious that his hair had been shaved so that the wound could be treated. Caitlin guessed he'd shaved the rest of his head so that it all matched.

A frown marred his handsome face as he struggled to pull the hat on with one hand. Reaching out, Caitlin took the red fabric from his hand and gently placed it on his head. With the hat in place, his injuries were hidden once more. Managing a nervous smile, Dr. Wells said, "Thank you. To answer your question, Mr. Rathaway took exception to being fired."

"The rumors were true?" Once more Caitlin blurted the words without thinking. For the past two days all sorts of stuff had been flying around the lab. The most popular story was that Dr. Wells had fired Hartley for hitting on him so Hartley had tried to run the CEO over as he was leaving work.

"Only a few," Dr. Wells replied. He started to get up and whimpered in pain.

"Oh, your wrist." Realizing that he was still self-splinting his left wrist, Caitlin forgot about Dr. Wells's older injuries and started examining his arm. "I think you might have broken it. It would also appear that you've dislocated your shoulder."

"Yep," Dr. Wells said with a nod. "Nicely diagnosed. Now, where the hell is Cisco." Struggling to his feet, he scooped the remote controlled car up with his right arm and strode towards one of the exits. "Cisco!" He bellowed the name as he walked.

"Dr. Wells?" Cisco was jogging towards them, a remote in hand. "Have you guys seen my car?" Dr. Wells held up the damaged toy. "Hey! Why'd you break it?" His face fell as he took his car from Dr. Wells's hands.

"It broke me," Dr. Wells replied. He said the words carefully, his tone neutral. As he watched Cisco examine the toy, Dr. Wells's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean it broke you?" Cisco's words were flying out of his mouth and he was hopping from one foot to the other.

"Ants in your pants, Cisco?" Dr. Wells asked gently.

"What? No, no. I was just testing this prototype engine. I didn't think anybody would be in here," he started to turn away.

"Cisco," Dr. Wells said, catching the young man on the shoulder. "How many energy drinks have you had today?"

"Huh? Oh, not that many. Only one in fact," Cisco answered.

"Cisco," Caitlin said, unable to take her eyes off the engineer's hand. "You're shaking."

"Vibrating almost," Dr. Wells agreed. "Mr. Ramon, how many caffeinated beverages have you consumed today?"

"Oh, only like," Cisco trailed off. Even his eyes appeared to be bouncing.

"Come with me," Dr. Wells said. Keeping his right hand on Cisco's left elbow, the older man led them toward the exit.

"Dr. Wells, you should really let me look at your arm again," Caitlin said, trailing along behind them.

"I'd like to talk with Mr. Ramon first," Dr. Wells said firmly. He led them to Cisco's work space. Hartley Rathaway had nearly had a fit when Dr. Wells had given Cisco his very own work room. "Where's your fridge," Dr. Wells demanded as they paused in the doorway. Sighing, Cisco led the way over to his personal stash. Letting go of Cisco's arm, Dr. Wells opened the fridge and pulled out a 2 liter bottle of Jolt Cola.

"That's not anything," Cisco began.

"Cisco, this is half-empty," Dr. Wells began. He lifted the bottle up and gently spun it some. There was clearly a sediment. "Let me guess, Jolt, Mountain Dew, pixie sticks, and nerds?" Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Cisco looked sheepish as he slowly nodded his head. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Oh, I've only been up since eight this morning," Cisco said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Cisco, it's nearly six in the morning," Caitlin protested.

Shaking his head, Cisco laughed. "Very funny. You think I don't know the time? It can't be past midnight," he protested.

"Mr. Ramon," Dr. Wells began. He was still cradling his left arm to his chest. "If you wish to continue your employment here, you will dump out the remainder of your gamer's punch and then report to the doctor's office for a full medical."

"What?" Cisco's eyes went wide.

"Dr. Snow will conduct the exam. I strongly urge you to follow her advice," Dr. Wells continued calmly.

"But Dr. Wells," Cisco began.

"Cisco, you've been consuming caffeine like a lunatic. You clearly haven't been sleeping, and your work is starting to hurt for it. Now, I want you to spend the next few days taking care of yourself. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," Cisco said, glumly hanging his head.

"Good. Now, Dr. Snow and I will be in the doctor's offices tending to my injuries." Patting Cisco gently on the shoulder with his good arm, Dr. Wells then turned to Caitlin. "Dr. Snow?"

"Right," Caitlin glanced at Cisco, trying to give him an encouraging look. They'd not had much time to get to know each other, but she liked him. Dr. Wells strode out of the room. "I think he broke his arm," Caitlin supplied, hoping that it might soften the blows Dr. Wells had dealt to the young engineer.

"Either that or his good humour," Cisco grumbled. He snapped his mouth shut when Dr. Wells came purposefully back into the room.

"Car," Dr. Wells demanded, holding out his good hand. Sighing, Cisco dejectedly handed over his remote control car. "Thank you. You can pick it up when you report to Dr. Snow for your physical." Turning on his heel, Dr. Wells left the room again. Sighing in defeat, Cisco went over to the chair at his desk, and slumped into it.

"Take your time, I'll be a bit tending to Dr. Wells," Caitlin said gently to Cisco. Waving one hand without looking up, Cisco stared blankly at his black computer screen as Caitlin turned and left the room as well.

Caitlin found Dr. Wells in the doctor's offices. He was sitting on one of the medical beds with a pair of medical shears in his right hand. With some difficulty he was carefully snipping away his long sleeved shirt. "Oh, here, let me do that," Caitlin said, rushing forwards and trying to take the scissors from him. Their fingers brushed and she was struck by how warm his hands were.

"I got the joint back in place," Dr. Wells said cheerfully as he let her take over cutting off his shirt. "But I didn't want to try to pull my shirt off."

"Dr. Wells," Caitlin began, looking up into his blue eyes. Without his glasses they seemed brighter than usual and she found herself trapped in them for a moment. Blinking rapidly, she focused on the task at hand. "Don't you think you were a little hard on Cisco?"

"How so?" He actually seemed interested in her opinion. Caitlin had worked a number of different places, and Harrison Wells seemed to be the only boss who truly cared about his employees. She'd always found him attractive, but the more she got to know him the more appealing he became. At the moment, though, she was disappointed in him. He needn't have come down so hard on Cisco.

"Taking away his drink, forcing him to get a physical. You do realize I will not reveal any information from that, right?"

"Why would I even think you would?" Dr. Wells looked confused and offended. "Dr. Snow, how closely have you been watching Cisco?" The whole time he'd stayed relatively calm and collected. If he hadn't just ordered Cisco to dump his drink and come for a physical, Caitlin wouldn't have thought he was upset at all.

"Uhm," Caitlin paused and looked up from the process of cutting his shirt away. "I'm still getting to know him," she admitted.

"He's brilliant," Dr. Wells began. "But, Hartley was berating him all the time. Every time I turned around, Hartley was finding some reason to drag Cisco into my office. To be honest, it was getting to Cisco. You think I was too hard on the young man? Come to my office with him when you're done with his exam. I will happily listen to anything you have to say then." There was a hardness in his blue eyes that Caitlin had only seen a time or two before. Usually it was when somebody told him a project was impossible or couldn't be finished on time.

"Fine. We should x-ray this," Caitlin said, indicating his now bare arm. Pulling away the last of remnants of his shirt, she paused. His right side was a mass of bruises. Obviously, Hartley had tried to do some serious damage. Frowning at the bruises, she let her gaze travel over the rest of his torso. There was an odd circular scar just below his left collarbone. "That's an interesting scar."

"Hm?" Arching an eyebrow, he looked down at his own chest. "Oh. Yes." He didn't say anything more, but there was a sadness in his blue eyes which Caitlin found easy to read. Knowing a little bit about her boss, Caitlin found herself wondering if it was a scar from the car accident which had killed his wife and lab partner, Tess Morgan.

"You'll need to leave the car here," Caitlin said, motioning at the toy car he still held. Nodding absently, he put the toy down on the bed and carefully hopped down. Following Caitlin, he was silent and docile as she took x-rays of the injured arm and shoulder. "It'll be a bit," she informed him.

"I'm not going anywhere right now," he declared, glancing out the window at the still heavily falling snow. "Must be two feet out there now."

"Why don't you just go rest for a bit," Caitlin gently suggested, hoping he'd go take a nap.

"Sound thinking," he agreed. Standing, he vanished back into the exam room.

A few minutes later, Caitlin walked out still examining the x-ray. While his shoulder appeared to be fine, he'd done a good job popping it back into place, his wrist was fractured. She'd need to set it and then splint or cast it. She wasn't sure what they had available in the lab. "Dr. Wells, we need to set your wrist," she said as she walked back into the exam room. There was no answer and she looked up from the x-ray to gaze around an empty room. "Dr. Wells?" Calling his name gently, she frowned as she left the room to go looking for him. "Dr. Wells?" She crossed the hall into the upper level labs.

The labs on the first floor were primarily used for tours and school classes. At the moment they were occupied by Dr. Wells. He was sitting at one of the benches with an array of tools spread out on the table top. Caitlin hesitantly entered the rooms and frowned upon seeing her boss. What the hell was he doing in here? For his part, Dr. Wells didn't seem to even notice he had company. He appeared to be completely absorbed in whatever he was doing, his semi-nude state apparently not bothering him. Pausing, Caitlin took a moment to admire the way his muscles moved and flexed as he worked. Shaking herself mentally, she continued to the table, calling his name, "Dr. Wells!"

"Yeah," he said, not looking up from whatever he was doing to Cisco's toy car.

"Dr. Wells! We need to set and immobilize your arm," Caitlin declared. She raised her voice since he really didn't seem to be listening to her.

"Okay, just five more minutes," he replied, still focused on whatever he was doing.

"Dr. Wells!" She was practically shouting and was so frustrated with him that she actually stomped her foot. Blinking, he looked up, gazing at her over the table top, hand still poised with a miniature screwdriver ready to work.

"What?" He sounded and looked annoyed, but as his eyes connected with her's, his face softened. "Oh, Dr. Snow. Apologies. I got distracted. What were you saying?"

She stared at him for a long moment, amazed that he somehow managed to run and make successful a massive company when he got distracted by a toy. Sighing, she shook herself from her thoughts and decided to try again. "Your shoulder appears to be okay, but we need to set and immobilize your arm. I'd say we should put a cast on it, but I don't know that we have the supplies for that. Really, you probably should go to the ER."

"We're not getting to the ER through that," he declared with a smile. "Let me just finish this and then I'll be ready." Without waiting for her response, he applied the screwdriver to the interior of the toy and then grinned widely when he finished. "Done. Shall we?" Standing, he started cleaning up the tools. Letting out a little huff, Caitlin helped just so she could get her patient treated sooner.

Once she got the toys away from him, Dr. Wells was actually a helpful patient. Between the two of them, they got his arm set and a cast applied in record time. Caitlin had asked him if he wanted any pain medication, but he'd just made an odd face and shook his head. They were just finishing up when Cisco slunk into the room, hands shoved into his pockets, head down. Everything about the man spoke of dejection. Clearly, he was not happy with what Dr. Wells had demanded Cisco do with his drink.

"Ah, Cisco. Excellent timing. Dr. Snow was just finishing up with me," Dr. Wells said brightly. "I trust you dumped the remaining punch?"

"Yes," Cisco said, glaring at the floor.

"All done," Caitlin declared. "I won't force you to take the medications, but I would recommend you go rest." She patted him gently on the right shoulder, letting her hand linger on his cool, smooth skin. Closing her eyes, she reminded herself that this was her boss, and then snapped her eyes open. "You should also probably find a new shirt."

"Not a problem," Dr. Wells said cheerfully. Confusion filled Cisco's face as he looked up, trying to process what Caitlin had said. Seeing the cast and bare chested older man, his eyes went wide.

"Dr. Wells, what happened to your arm?" Cisco still felt jittery, but he had to admit that already he was feeling a little more down to earth. He just hoped he could cope without his caffeine.

"I broke my wrist and dislocated my arm when I tripped over your car," Dr. Wells said firmly. He hopped down from the bed and stood before Cisco. Now their eyes locked and Cisco was shocked to see compassion filling the bright blues. "Which Dr. Snow will return to you once she's completed her examination. You will both report to my office when you're ready. Do you understand?" He gave them both stern looks and waited for nods. "Good. Dr. Snow, excellent work. I know you'll take as good care of Mr. Ramon as you did of me." Patting Caitlin gently on the shoulder, he left, vanishing down the hallway.

"Oh my god, I broke my boss's arm," Cisco said in horror. Caitlin couldn't help but smile. "What happened to his shirt?"

"I had to cut it off," Caitlin supplied.

"I owe him a shirt too," Cisco's eyes went ever wider.

"Sit," Caitlin ordered. Without speaking he plopped down into the chair. "Let's get started." Cisco didn't say much as Caitlin took his vitals, frowning at his high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and shallow breathing. She did opt to have him do some stress testing by having him run on a treadmill and she finished by drawing blood. After looking over everything else, she also demanded that he fast and return 12 hours later so she could draw blood. From what she was seeing, Dr. Wells was right to be concerned.

"Cisco," Caitlin began, trying to figure out how to tell him everything. She wasn't always good with patients. "You need to take better care of yourself."

"Hey, I do," Cisco protested. He was still horrified at having broken his boss's arm. "I've been under stress."

"Look, if you don't get everything under control and back to normal, you'll be under the ground," Caitlin said sternly.

"Ouch," Cisco couldn't believe what she'd just said. "Ice Queen."

"I'm sorry. I don't know how else to get you to understand the severity of what you're doing to yourself," Caitlin declared. "I'm going to recommend you cut back on sugar and caffeine and you need to increase you exercise. How much exercise do you get every day?"

"Daily?" Cisco fumbled for words as he looked around nervously. "Not much. Whatever I get walking around here."

"Okay. You need to figure something out. I don't care if it is just making sure you walk for ten minutes every day. Anything helps. Come back in a week and we'll see how you're doing." She started writing down notes. She wasn't usually one of the doctors who worked in the clinic, but she wanted to make sure that the file they had for Cisco was complete. If something happened to the young man, she wouldn't forgive herself.

"That serious, huh?" Cisco studied her.

"Dr. Wells was right to have you come in for a check-up," Caitlin declared. Something about her tone of voice made Cisco frown and cock his head to the side. "I should have picked up on all this. Obviously, Dr. Wells is a better physician than I."

"Oh man," Cisco said softly. "You are totally crushing on Dr. Wells." Caitlin's head snapped up and she fixed a defiant glare on Cisco.

"I am not," she countered.

"Yes, you are. Come on, Caitlin. You are totally turned on by how smart he is and I bet you were enjoying him wondering around here topless." A grin split Cisco's face and Caitlin deciding the teasing was worth it if it got him smiling.

"He is in excellent physical condition," she declared. "And I admire his ability to diagnose."

"Uh-huh, right," Cisco said, a smirk lifting his lips. "Caitlin's got the hots for our boss."

"Stop it," she demanded, swatting at his shoulder. "Even if I did, which I do not, I wouldn't do anything about it. He is my employer. It would be totally inappropriate."

"Yeah. Totally," Cisco agreed, waggling his eyebrows. Rolling her eyes, Caitlin sighed in exasperation and picked up her notes and started for the door.

"Come on, Dr. Wells wanted to see both of us after we finished here," she reminded him as she walked away. Cisco's mirth vanished and he raced after Caitlin, wondering if he was about to get into serious trouble.

They reached his door to find it closed. Usually if Dr. Wells was in his office he had the doors opened. The one or two times he'd been locked inside he was working on a project. Exchanging looks with Cisco, Caitlin raised her hand and rapped smartly on the door. Desperately, Cisco hoped that the man wasn't inside. When there was no immediate answer, he started to think he had lucked out, but Caitlin knocked again and after a moment, the door was pulled open.

Dr. Wells looked like he was half-asleep. He was adjusting his Santa hat as he stepped back to let his employees inside. "Sorry about that," he said as they passed him. "Go ahead and have a seat. Pardon the mess. I was getting some rest as per Dr. Snow's orders." He waved at seats across from his desk and then at the couch on the left wall. It was covered in blankets and pillows. Once they were inside he closed the door and then strode over to take a seat behind his desk.

"Dr. Wells," Cisco began. "I'm really sorry about your arm and your shirt." Arching an eyebrow, Dr. Wells waved him silent. He'd pulled on a new shirt, this one dark red with a baseball over the left breast.

"Cisco, relax," Dr. Wells ordered. "We're stuck here for the next day at least. I don't expect you to be working 24-7. Look at me. Do I look like I'm working right now?" He indicated the messy state of his office and the casual clothing. "Right now, my primary concern is you. Now, I don't want to know the results of your physical, but I would like to know that you'll be taking better care of yourself."

"Yes sir," was all Cisco could manage to say. He'd only been working there for a month and already he was getting a lecture from his boss. Part of him wanted to tell Dr. Wells about all the horrible things Hartley had done to him.

"More formally, I would like to inform you that Hartley Rathaway is no longer employed by this company. Should you see him in or near this facility, please notify security." Dr. Wells managed to keep his face blank as he spoke. Seeing the effect the words had on Cisco, his face softened. "I am aware of the abuse Hartley lavished on you. My apologies for not tending to it sooner. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't be able to challenge my decision. Unfortunately, that meant jumping through all of hoops. HR can be pretty sticky about this stuff."

"Hartley is gone," Cisco managed to whisper. Dr. Wells nodded and Caitlin dropped a hand to the young engineer's bicep.

"Yes," Dr. Wells nodded gently. "I would like to apologize. Hartley clearly did not embody the values of this company. You, Mr. Ramon very much do. Now, go take care of yourself. I will be checking in on you periodically."

Slowly standing, Cisco nodded. "Thank you Dr. Wells." Tears were tugging at the young man's eyes. Standing, Dr. Wells rounded his desk to gently pat Cisco on the shoulder.

"No, Cisco. I am just doing my job, so you can do yours." He gently led Cisco to the door. "The next time you have issues or a problem, please let someone know."

"Yes sir," Cisco said. He still looked confused and even a little dumbstruck. It seemed that having somebody care that much shocked the young man. Opening his door, Dr. Wells let go as Cisco wandered off down the hall. Turning back, he paused confused by the gaze Caitlin had leveled on him.

Caitlin stared at her boss. Their interactions had been intermittent and usually filled with other people. This was the first time she'd seen him in action without Hartley or somebody else around. Not only was she impressed with his worry over Cisco, but she realized she found it attractive. As their eyes locked she found herself suddenly terrified that he'd know she was attracted to him. She had to escape. Mumbling something, she bolted from the room, racing after Cisco.

She found Cisco in his work room. "Man, I didn't think Dr. Wells really cared," Cisco said as Caitlin bounded into his space.

"That's nice," Caitlin mumbled, eyes focused on the entrance. Cisco frowned and arched an eyebrow.

"Seriously?" Cisco shook his head in amusement. "What, did you start daydreaming about him?"

"Huh?" Dragging her attention back to the young man, she was confused to see Cisco smiling.

"Man, you have it bad." Shaking with laughter, Cisco went back to what he was doing. For the rest of the storm he would occasionally tease Caitlin, but for the most part he welcomed her company without comment. Caitlin carefully avoided Dr. Wells until the blizzard had passed and staffing was back to normal. Even then, she tried to make sure somebody else was present and they were never alone. Caitlin Snow was not about to fall for her boss.


	2. Chapter 2 - Winter Celebrations

_**This is the last chapter I had finished before my beta told me she had to stop. That said, I have a few ideas of where I want to go and how I want this to work. However, this is also as far as I have gone. This is your chance to make suggestions or requests. Let me know what you think! - CT**_

 **Chapter 2: Winter Celebrations**

They weren't required to attend the formal fundraiser. They weren't even required to attend the party after it. They were all invited to attend either or both. Dr. Wells had sent out a memo detailing the fundraiser the lab was hosting to help raise money for underprivileged children. After the formal bit, he was throwing a party just for staff. He had warned in his memo that if they came, he intended to dance with them. Everyone. To Caitlin's amusement, nearly the entire lab had showed up. At the moment, Dr. Wells was slow dancing with Doris, one of the janitorial staff. She was an older woman with a big bellowing laugh which was currently bouncing around the room as Dr. Wells twirled her around the dance floor.

"Crazy party," Cisco said, coming over to stand next to her. He watched Dr. Wells dance. For Cisco, getting up the nerve to attend the party had been difficult. He didn't have any formal clothing and wasn't sure he could take more teasing like Hartley had inflicted on him. In the three weeks since Hartley had been fired, Cisco was starting to feel like he belonged. That had made it easier. So much easier. He was also closely following the diet that Caitlin had helped him come up with since his physical.

"Yeah," Caitlin agreed glancing at her friend. Since the storm, they had grown closer. She liked Cisco. He was bright and funny and easy to be with. Seeing his attire, a tee shirt with a tuxedo printed on it with a sport jacket over it, Caitlin smiled. "Nice tuxedo."

"Thanks," Cisco said with a grin. "I almost didn't wear it, but Dr. Wells said as long as it was the employee's party, he was okay with it." He shoved his hands into his jean pockets. "He offered to buy me a tux, but when he said he'd be fine with me wearing this, I couldn't resist. Did you know I've gotten three genuine compliments?" His grin lit his face, making Caitlin smile. "Dr. Wells is pretty cool."

"I suppose," Caitlin agreed duly.

"Ha, still trying to face the fact that you have the hots for him?" Cisco arched an eyebrow at her.

"Cisco, I do not have feelings for Dr. Wells," Caitlin protested. He just stared at her. "Fine," she said, letting the air out with a puff. "I may be a teeny, tiny, little bit, attracted to him. It is purely physical. He is a good looking man."

"No comment," Cisco declared. He watched the man in question dance with yet another staff member. Decked out in a traditional black tuxedo, Dr. Wells looked almost dashing, except for the bright blue knit cap he wore. He had been calling it his lucky toque, and it seemed that only Caitlin knew the real reason he'd been wearing either that or the Santa hat. With Christmas passed, he'd switched to the toque. While Caitlin would never admit it, except maybe to Cisco, she preferred the knit cap. The blue of the cap made his eyes pop. "Hey, so you want to dance?" The question from Cisco surprised Caitlin, but she smiled and nodded.

They danced together for several songs, nodding at coworkers and generally having a good time. "Mind if I cut in?" Dr. Wells was standing right next to them, waiting expectantly. Rolling his eyes, Cisco sighed but let go of Caitlin. "Excellent." Flashing a childish grin at Caitlin, Dr. Wells stepped up, and turned to Cisco whisking the engineer across the dance floor as the band started playing a fast version of "It don't mean a thing."

Laughter erupted from Caitlin as she watched Cisco look utterly shocked as their boss took the lead on the dance floor. Really, for a man with a broken wrist and probably still recovering from a head injury, Dr. Wells was doing very well. It was only a matter of moments before Cisco seemed to get over his discomfort and start enjoying the dance, enough that he even took over the lead.

"You're pretty good Dr. Wells," Cisco said as he spun his partner.

"Thank you. Not too shabby yourself," Dr. Wells replied, a bright smile filling his face. He wasn't wearing his glasses and with the blue hat, his eyes seemed to be a brighter blue than usual.

"How did you know I liked swing dancing?" Cisco asked as Dr. Wells reclaimed the lead to spin first himself and then Cisco. They weren't doing anything too wild aside from the occasional spins and kicks.

"You're a member of the swing club here. I took a wild guess," Dr. Wells replied. His eyes flicked over to Caitlin and Cisco felt suspicion swell.

"You know, I thought you were cutting in so you could dance with Caitlin," Cisco declared, fishing for an answer to his thoughts.

"Oh, I'll dance with Dr. Snow eventually. She doesn't swing dance though," Dr. Wells replied. He smiled, but Cisco could tell the man was holding something back.

"Does everybody have crushes on other people?" Cisco asked. At the same moment Dr. Wells fumbled, losing his grip with his injured wrist.

"I'm sorry?" Dr. Wells arched an eyebrow at Cisco, trying to play off the fumble.

"You have a crush on Caitlin," Cisco accused.

"I don't date employees Mr. Ramon," came the instant response.

"So? Doesn't mean you can't have the hots for 'em," Cisco shot back. "Seriously, this is getting ridiculous." The song ended and the two stood facing each other for a moment, both winded. Frowning, Dr. Wells's gaze slipped to Caitlin once more before fixing on Cisco. The young engineer's eyes widened as he realized that he'd somehow given away Caitlin's secret. He was horrified as he tried to figure out what their boss would do.

"Right," Dr. Wells said, squaring his shoulders. He strode away from Cisco and over to Caitlin. "May I have this dance Dr. Snow?" He offered his good hand. The redhead stared at it. "I'm dancing with everyone tonight." It was a gentle reminder and just enough to get her to take his hand.

"Of course," Caitlin agreed as her boss led her out onto the dance floor. There was some awkwardness as they settled into a basic first position only to both jump a little as a slow song started.

"You look beautiful," Dr. Wells informed her as they started to slowly dance. She did too, in her flowing silver and blue gown. "You look like you belong in the night sky."

"Dr. Wells," Caitlin began.

"I'm not trying to hit on you," he clarified. "I simply wanted you to know how beautiful you are right now. That said, please know that I am not interested in a romantic relationship with you." Caitlin froze in her tracks. Her eyes went wide and her gaze drifted to Cisco who looked horribly guilty, standing by the punch bowl.

"Cisco told you! Oh. God!" Covering her face, Caitlin pulled away and carefully walked through the crowd. She wanted to run, but she didn't dare for fear of calling attention to the abrupt end of their dance. How could Cisco betray her like that?

Sighing, Harrison watched Caitlin run away from him. He'd handled that poorly. "What did you say to her?" Cisco demanded. He'd seen the exchange and the look Caitlin had sent him had hurt.

"I'm afraid I put my foot in it," Dr. Wells admitted.

"Oh man, she thinks I ratted her out," Cisco realized.

"I merely told her I wasn't interested in a romantic relationship," Dr. Wells admitted.

Rolling his eyes, Cisco shook his head. "You can be really dumb, you know that?" Glaring at his boss, clearly Cisco had consumed too much punch, the young engineer went after Caitlin.

"Wonderful," Harrison grumbled to himself. Looking around, he realized that he still had most of the dance floor to take for a spin. He'd try to patch things up with Dr. Snow later. Chasing after her would be inappropriate and unprofessional.

Cisco found Caitlin in her lab space. He knocked gently at the door before entering. Sitting at her bench, Caitlin was staring dejectedly at the cleaned and sterile space. "Hey," Cisco greeted her softly. When she didn't respond, he came to stand at her side, hesitantly dropping a hand on her shoulder. "Caitlin, I'm sorry. He figured it out himself," Cisco supplied.

"He thinks I'm romantically interested in him," Caitlin sniffled. Pausing, Cisco made sure Caitlin didn't see him roll his eyes.

"Only because he's crushing on you," Cisco informed her. "You two may be the most idiotic smart people I know," he continued. It earned him a tear filled glare. "Sorry, but it's true."

"Cisco, how we feel doesn't matter. He's my boss. Besides, it's only a physical attraction," Caitlin declared. This time Cisco fought the eye roll. Instead he looked around and pulled a kim wipe and offered it to her as a tissue. Taking it, Caitlin dabbed at her face. "How am I going to face him tomorrow?"

"Hung over like the rest of us?" Cisco hazarded. It earned him a smile. "Look, Caitlin, he was probably trying to tell you that he was aware of how you both feel, but isn't going to make a big deal out of it."

"You think so?" She pressed her lips together as she looked up at him.

"Why else would he bring it up?" Cisco shrugged, hoping he was helping but uncertain. "Look, I'm going back to the party. There's free food. You wanna come?"

"No thank you," Caitlin said softly. "I'm just not ready to face him yet."

"Okay. Well, do you want me to stay?"

"No, go. I'll be fine. Just need some alone time."

"Right." Cisco nodded his understanding. "Just, don't let Dr. Wells hang for too long. The longer you avoid him, the worse you're going to make this."

"Since when did you become such an expert in affairs of the loins?" Caitlin asked. She'd have said the "heart" but clearly, this was just lust.

"Who knows," he replied with shrug. Patting her shoulder one last time, he then turned and left the room.

Caitlin hid in her lab through the morning and into the afternoon. A few people came by to check on her, including Cisco. He stopped by just before he left, informing her that pretty much the party was over, finally. He also informed her that Dr. Wells had indeed managed to dance with everyone, including the security guard. It seemed the CEO had basically been dancing all night and most of the day. Cisco chuckled softly and gave her a hesitant hug before heading home for the night.

Knowing that the lab would now be mostly empty, Caitlin grabbed a spare set of sweats and headed for the locker rooms. She let the hot water of a shower wash some of her stress away and once she was dried and dressed, she felt much better. In fact, she was even starting to feel like she could face her boss once more. As she left the locker room she decided she would go see if Dr. Wells was in his office.

When she reached the closed door, she hesitated. Shaking her head, she stood a little taller as she forced herself to knock on the door. Hearing a worrying noise from inside, she opened the door and entered. Dr. Wells was just pulling his knit cap back onto his head. Seeing that it was Caitlin, he stopped, letting his arms drop and shoulders sag. "Ah, Dr. Snow," he greeted her, sounding completely exhausted.

"I came to apologize," Caitlin declared, intently studying him. Her doctor training had taken over and she was taking everything in with a critical eye. His bow tie had been undone and hung around his neck. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone and she could see a sweat soaked undershirt peeking out from beneath. His short dark hair was soaked with sweat and spiking every direction.

"No, no," he began, standing taller and squaring his shoulders once more. "I should be apologizing to you. I hadn't meant to make you uncomfortable." He strode around his desk and Caitlin realized he was trying to hide his pain and how tired he was.

"Dr. Wells, when was the last time you rested?" Caitlin demanded, deciding to ignore the reason she'd come to his office.

"Hm? Oh, I'm not certain," he admitted, looking for all the world like a crazy man with his short hair sticking out at odd angles. "I was just getting ready to get a shower and crash on my couch when you arrived." He waved at one of the couches with his injured hand then quickly dropped it down out of sight.

"I think the shower will need to wait," Caitlin declared. Striding forward, she came around the desk, pressing a hand to his forehead. He was hot, almost feverish and his skin was dry. As she pressed her hand to his skin, he seemed to lean into it, not staying upright. "Dr. Wells, how much have you had to drink tonight?"

"Not enough," he replied. His eyes had closed only to flutter open and try to focus on her.

"Go lay down, get out of those soaked clothes. Is there a glass in your bathroom?" She knew he had a private bathroom, including tub and shower, connected to his office. It was common knowledge that he sometimes stayed the night, sleeping over or working on a project through the night.

"Yeah," he agreed, waving a hand towards the door in the corner of his office. Blinking in dizziness, he turned and stumbled over to the couch. Caitlin watched him plop down into it and start shedding clothing before she went into the bathroom. Looking around she found an unopened water bottle sitting by the sink so she grabbed both the bottle and a wash cloth.

"We need to get you cooled down and hydrated," she declared as she headed back into the room. He was stretched out on the couch, all of his clothing except a pair of black boxers, neatly folded on the floor in a stack. At least he'd listened to her directions. "Here, drink this slowly." She sat gently next to him, watching his eyes open. "Slowly," she nagged as he sat up on an elbow and took the bottle. He struggled with the cap until she took pity on him and unscrewed it for him.

"Thanks," he said, taking the bottle and spilling some water down his bare chest.

"You should take better care of yourself," she told him. There was another couch on the other wall of the office. She frowned at it for a moment. "Do you have more linens than just these?" She tugged on the sheet and blanket he was sprawled atop.

"Yeah. In the linen closet on the wall right next to the door in the bathroom," he answered her.

"Okay. What about an electrolyte drink?" She watched him sip at the water bottle.

"Mini fridge under the half of the desk against the wall," he replied.

"Alright. I'm going to make that couch up for me to sleep on, you keep drinking your water." As she stood he started to protest. "Don't even try to tell me no," Caitlin informed him. "You're dehydrated and on the verge of getting sick because of it. I will stay and watch over you until I am certain you aren't going to faint or worse."

"Yes ma'am," he said softly. Satisfied, Caitlin went and got bedding. When she was done making up the other couch, she checked on his progress with the water bottle. He'd managed about half of the bottle, so she took it and refilled it with the contents of some grape flavoured sport drink he had in his mini-fridge.

"Still drink slowly," she said, returning the bottle to him. Once more she sat gently next to him, checking his skin colour and temperature. He was doing better. "I'm leaving another water bottle and the rest of the sport drink right here on the floor." His blue eyes slid to the two bottles and he nodded. "I will be just in the next couch. Okay?" There was the smallest nod. She sat a moment longer, watching him to make sure he was going to be okay. While she watched, she studied the almost healed cut on his head.

"What?" He asked, apparently aware of her scrutiny.

"Just admiring the work they did with this laceration on your head," she informed him. "Whoever did it did a very nice job. I don't know that it will scar much."

"Thanks. All those years sewing clothes for Barbie dolls finally paid off," he said. A sad smile danced on his lips and Caitlin knew her eyes widened at the thought of her boss playing with the dolls. "Not for me," he clarified. "My sister."

"I thought you were an orphan," Caitlin said immediately.

"Yep," he agreed. "My foster sister. Lilly. We ended up in the same house together. She died a while ago. Drug overdose." He was falling asleep.

"I'm sorry," Caitlin said softly. "Dr. Wells, why did you hide your injury? Nobody would think less of you if they knew what Hartley had done to you."

"Not hiding it for me," he mumbled. Now his eyes were mostly closed. "Not Hartley's fault his father was a dick and screwed him up. Didn't want word to get out." His eyes were completely closed. For a moment Caitlin just sat and watched as his breathing steadily lifted his chest, the scar on the left breast looking painful in the light. Fighting the urge to reach out and trace the scar, Caitlin made sure he would be okay before turning off the lights and returning to the couch she was going to use.

"Get some sleep Dr. Wells," she said softly.

"Night, Caitlin," he replied sleepily. The room filled with silence and darkness and after a few minutes of listening to her boss breathe, Caitlin fell asleep.

She woke up before Dr. Wells. It didn't surprise her. The man had to be completely worn out from everything he'd done. She folded up the bedding she had used after checking on her boss. At some point in the night Dr. Wells had managed to finish off all the drinks Caitlin had left out for him. That was good. Sitting gently on the edge of the couch, Caitlin checked his skin and temperature. Now he felt a little cool. Smiling gently at his sleeping face, the redhead carefully pulled a sheet up to his chest. As she tucked it in around him, his eyes opened.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Morning. You seem to be doing much better," Caitlin observed.

"I am," he agreed. He looked like he could fall back to sleep. "Thank you for taking care of me." She shrugged it off. "About what I said on the dance floor," he began.

"Don't worry about it," Caitlin agreed. "It's nice to know you are only interested in me for what I can contribute to this company." The words were a little cold, but Caitlin had decided it was best for them. Clearly Dr. Wells wasn't interested in anything from her. It would be best if they just put it all behind them. "I need to get going." She didn't give him a chance to reply as she stood and strode out of the office.

"I was trying to tell you if you weren't my employee, I'd ask you for dinner," he muttered softly to the empty room. A sad sigh escaped him and he let his eyes close once more. He had no idea what else he could do, so for the time being, he'd just sleep and let his over danced body heal.


	3. Chapter 3 - Break Up

**_Salutations! Welcome! Apologies for the slow posting speed - but I am writing this slowly as I go, then editing, then posting. I am sans Beta so all mistakes are my own. I have also been figuring out how I want to write this. I figure chapter 1 takes place about a year prior to the accelerator exploding. Each chapter will be a different month, I think. This means that Chapter 1 was December 2012, Chapter 2 was January 2013. This chapter takes place in February 2013. I am still open to suggestions and ideas. In fact, I usually read comments before working on the next chapter and let what you the readers say and think swirl in my mind as I write. So, comments and criticism always welcomed (be polite with the criticism - I'll try to be polite and accepting of what you say) and appreciated - seriously, I even appreciate the criticism, just keep in mind I have no Beta but me, myself, and I (sorry, this sentence runs on and on). I think I have strayed from my former beta's original requirements. Oh well. Thanks for understanding! -CT_**

 **Chapter 3: Breakup**

Breakups can be hard, painful monsters, dragging people down into pits of despair. Caitlin knew this from personal experience. Getting dumped on Valentine's day was not a pain she had survived, but she could tell from his condition that Cisco was feeling about as low as possible. When he had first told her he intended to go out and get drunk, Caitlin had made sure he knew she would be his designated driver. Now, three hours and six bars later, she wished she had thought ahead and found out where he lived. In his highly inebriated state, Cisco was either unable or unwilling to give her his address and he had left his wallet in the lab. She would have taken him back to her apartment, but felt he would do better at his place. Plus, she just had a little efficiency and from what she had gleaned from Cisco, he lived in a proper single bedroom apartment. That meant that Caitlin would be able to crash on the couch and Cisco in the bedroom. If they went back to her place, the couch and bed were one and the same. It was what she had been able to afford when she had first moved to the city and she just hadn't bothered to find anything bigger. Now, with the intoxicated engineer belting breakup songs in her car, she wished she had.

"Cisco," she began as she parked her car in her space at work. "I'm going to run inside and get your wallet so I can figure out where you live. Okay?"

"Valentine's day. She dumps me on the day for love!" Cisco lamented for the 227th time. Caitlin had been counting.

"Yes, I know," Caitlin agreed. "You stay here. I don't think you want anyone to know you got this drunk. Not when everyone at work finds out that Donna dumped you."

"Why did I ever think dating somebody who didn't like movies was a good idea?" Cisco bemoaned, slurring words enough that Caitlin hoped she was translating his misery right. Shaking her, she closed the door and headed into the lab.

 **Ten minutes later**

Harrison had stayed late. Frustrated with an engineer who couldn't seem to produce anything but excuses, Harrison had become absorbed figuring the work out himself. When he had finally finished, he had been shocked to realize how late it was. That was why he almost hit the staggering form which tumbled into the path of his car as he headed out.

Slamming on the breaks, he quickly turned off his car and hopped out to check on the person he had nearly hit. He figured the other was okay, as the man hadn't even noticed Harrison's car and was staggering back towards one of the only other vehicles parked in the lot. "Are you alright?" Harrison called out as he headed toward the person who was now drunkenly singing while attempting to climb atop the other car. Instead of responding, the man started to slur out a different song, throwing his head back as he did. "Cisco?" Harrison couldn't believe his eyes. His employee, Cisco Ramon, drunk beyond belief singing some song about lost love. It floored Harrison to the point that he stopped in his tracks to stare.

Hearing his name, Cisco turned towards his audience. "Doc Welsh!" Cisco slurred as he tried to take a step. His foot slipped and he went flying, arms flailing as he swan dove off the car and landed on the pavement in a painful heap.

Seeing the fall dragged Harrison from shock and he raced toward the car and injured man. "Cisco, " he called as he approached the groaning lump of drunk engineer. "Are you okay?" Kneeling, Harrison started to reach for his injured employee. His hand was knocked away.

"Fuck off man!" Cisco shouted, blood seeping from a gash on his head and his eyes unfocused. "What the hell do you know about it? Bet you never had girl trouble. Lording it over me like Dante!" Like a flipped switch, the younger man went from tears of sadness to anger and he lurched to his feet and launched himself at Harrison.

"What?" The smaller man took Harrison by surprise so that they ended up on the ground, Cisco pinning Harrison to the ground as the engineer delivered blow after blow. Shouting, Harrison managed to get his hands up to protect his face. "Cisco, you really don't want to be doing this," Harrison shouted the warning. The blows continued to rain down.

 **Caitlin**

To say she was frustrated was an understatement. Caitlin had searched all over Cisco's lab space trying to find the engineer's wallet. Ultimately she had decided it didn't matter and that she would just take Cisco back to her little apartment. She could sleep on the floor or something like that. She was trying to calm her anger and steel her nerves to face the drunk as she exited the building. Seeing Cisco out of the car, pinning someone to the ground as he screamed incoherently and pounded into his victim shocked the hell out of Caitlin. Never would she have believed Cisco would be a violent drunk. As she raced to stop the attack, she wondered if something else was going on with her friend.

"Cisco, stop it," Caitlin ordered. Beneath Cisco, his victim shouted.

"Get him off me," Harrison begged the speaker. In the flurry of fists, he was too distracted to identify the voice. All the scientist knew was that he was afraid he would hurt Cisco trying to get away. He liked the young engineer too much to be willing to hurt the younger man.

"That is enough," Caitlin decided, lunging forwards and knocking Cisco to the ground. "I understand you are hurting because Donna dumped you before your big Valentine's day date, but that does not give you the right to beat on someone else!" The anger vanished from the engineer and he was sobbing once more as he rolled on the ground holding his head.

Next to Cisco, his victim groaned and slowly sat up. "Thank you for the save, Dr. Snow," Dr. Wells managed. "I take it Mr. Ramon's night didn't go as planned." As he spoke, Dr. Wells inspected his hands and arms.

"What did you do to him?" Caitlin demanded, seeing the blood on Cisco's face. Her anger bubbled up enough that Dr. Wells actually held his hands up in surrender.

"Nothing! I nearly hit him but he didn't even notice. Instead he got up on that car and I think he was singing. Then he fell on his head and when I went to check on him, he attacked me!" Harrison explained as fast as he could. While he would never admit it, angry Caitlin was a bit terrifying. With her red hair and dark eyes, she managed an intensity that had him half expecting her to burst into flames.

"Oh," Caitlin sat back on her heels, a little surprised to see Dr. Wells had a bloody lip and eyebrow. His blue eyes were locked on her and she felt her anger fizzle out. "Sorry, Dr. Wells. I only left him alone long enough to run in and get his wallet. I'm trying to take him home." Getting to her feet, she offered her boss a hand which he waved away.

"I gather Mr. Ramon's romantic evening didn't go as planned," Dr. Wells repeated as he stood, Caitlin trying not to stare at the way his trousers pulled tight. A few feet away, Cisco continued his breakup lament.

"He was dumped so he got extremely drunk," Caitlin summarized. "He didn't have his wallet and wouldn't tell me his address so I came here to get it."

"Ouch, dumped on Valentine's day," Dr. Wells shook his head in sympathetic pain. "Well, let's get him home. I think I remember where he lives." Flashing Caitlin a bloody smile, Cisco had managed to give the older man a split lip, Dr. Wells cautiously approached the bellowing lump that was Cisco. "Come on, Cisco. Caitlin and I are going to get you home." Reaching down, Dr. Wells cautiously helped the young engineer to his feet. It was obvious that the scientist feared another violent attack from the engineer.

"Oh, Dr. Wells, you have a boo-boo," Cisco said, swaying on his feet. "You should have Caitlin look ass it."

"Did he just say ass it?" Caitlin asked, brow wrinkling in concern and confusion.

"Clearly his oral capabilities are not up to current snuff," Dr. Wells surmised. "How much has he had to drink?"

"Not snuff. Still hurts," Cisco slurred, leaning into Dr. Wells, who braced himself against the weight.

"Well, that answers that question. Come on, I'll drive. Not sure we'll fit in your car." Flashing a half-smile, Dr. Wells led the way to his car and helped Caitlin get Cisco in and buckled. With their close proximity, Caitlin couldn't help but inhale her boss's scent. Mentally kicking herself, she quickly put some distance between them once Cisco was secured.

"I'll follow in my car," Caitlin decided. She did not want word to get out that Dr. Wells had driven her to work. Scientists were wicked gossips. At least, the ones they worked with were.

 **Cisco's Apartment**

To say the smell was pungent was being nice. Indeed, the putrid odor wafted from Cisco and Dr. Wells as the older man helped the drunk down the hall. Caitlin strode ahead, trying to ignore the smell of vomit as she looked for Cisco's apartment. At least the engineer had stopped singing at the top of his lungs. Mostly because he had been busy emptying his stomach contents all over himself and Dr. Wells. Caitlin was surprised at how well her boss had handled the situation. She herself probably would have added to Cisco's stomach contents with some of her own. Dr. Wells, though, had grimaced and grumbled, but kept his cookies from tossing.

"Here," Caitlin declared triumphantly as she found the right apartment number. It was easy to ignore the proximity of her crush when he stank.

"Oh thank goodness," Dr. Wells cheered softly, steadying the wobbling engineer. "Let's hope his shower is big enough for two." With her back turned to the two men, Caitlin let her eyes go wide, unable to stop the mental images that popped up into her head. "I mean because I doubt he is sober enough to safely clean himself up and I don't think you want to be the one dealing with a slippery, mostly naked, drunk Cisco," Dr. Wells quickly clarified as Caitlin managed to find the right key and get the door opened. They entered, Caitlin holding her breath as Dr. Wells carried Cisco past her, headed for what he hoped was the bathroom.

A whoop sounded from the direction Dr. Wells had headed with Cisco. "The night is looking up," the older man crowed from the bathroom. Taking a breath, and getting a whiff of vomit, Caitlin followed the sounds and found Dr. Wells in a large bathroom, trying to convince Cisco that a shower would be a good idea. "Come on Cisco. Nobody wants to sleep in their own puke," Dr. Wells was saying as he patted down the engineer's pockets. "We're just gonna step in, clothes and all so we better empty our pockets."

"Need any help?" Caitlin asked as she watched Dr. Wells fish out Cisco's phone and add it to a pile.

"Yeah, can you take this stuff and put it on the bar? I don't want a wet drunk near my phone and I don't think Cisco would either," Dr. Wells replied, nodding at the collection of keys, wallets, and phones.

"Okay. I'll take them into the kitchen," Caitlin suggested. Dr. Wells was already turning his attention back to herding Cisco into the shower, kicking his shoes off as he did. Shaking her head, Caitlin collected the pile and headed back the way she had come. As she dropped everything onto the kitchen counter, one of the phones beeped. Frowning, Caitlin picked up the phone in question. It was Dr. Wells's phone, with a text message notification.

"Sorry I had to cancel," read the message from somebody identified as Chris. Blinking, Caitlin quickly put the phone down, not wanting to be caught looking at Dr. Wells's private things. Trying not to wonder who Chris was, she turned and headed back towards the bathroom.

"No, Cisco, we don't drink shampoo," Dr. Wells's voice could be heard over the sound of the running water. The bathroom was quickly filling with steam so that everything looked hazy.

"How is it going in there?" Caitlin called out, her mind still pondering what Chris had cancelled.

"Ah, Dr. Snow. Marvelous. Could you please try to find towels, clothing, and possibly a first aid kit?" Dr. Wells sounded frustrated and a little distracted. "No, Cisco, I think you should leave your boxers on." Hearing her boss frantically try to convince her best friend that he should remain decent made it difficult for Caitlin to suppress her laughter. "Not funny!" Dr. Wells's shout caused Caitlin to bite her lip. "Towels, clothing, and first aid kit, please, Dr. Snow!"

"Right." Nodding, Caitlin looked around the bathroom, spotting one towel hanging on the back of the door. "One towel," she informed her boss. "Hanging on the bar by the shower."

"Great. Mr. Ramon, where are your other towels?" Dr. Wells was doing his best to get Cisco and himself cleaned, carefully shedding layers of clothing as he did. With each soiled item they removed, Dr. Wells had scrubbed it carefully, rung it out, and hang it up. Cisco was making the task more difficult by occasionally trying to help.

"No others," Cisco slurred and then giggled as Dr. Wells frowned at the various hair care products. "Shampoo, then conditioner," he instructed the other man. By now the older man had them down to their boxes and was trying to figure out which soap to use. Why on earth were there so many bottles for one person? "Dat one," Cisco giggled, indicating some sort of body wash.

"Right." Shaking his head, Dr. Wells grabbed the bottle indicated and squirted some sort of green goo onto the palm of his hand.

"No, you hafta use the loofa," Cisco admonished, motioning at some sort of sponge hanging from a hook.

"Yes dear," the older man responded, wondering what was wrong with just using a bar of soap and some shampoo. Biting back other snarky comments, he grabbed the thing Cisco had indicated, smeared the goo from his hand onto the sponge, and offered it to Cisco.

"Dr. Wells, I can't find any other towels," Caitlin's voice carried to them over the sound of the water.

"Dat's cause there are no others," Cisco called out with a laugh. "Caitlin, I'm showering with our boss!" More laughter bubbled up.

"Great," Dr. Wells groaned. "Okay, Cisco, let's get your hair washed and then we'll get out."

"We can't do that," Cisco said. He looked positively scandilized. "We have to use the conditioner too." Another groan sounded from the older man.

"Right, fine." With a sigh, Dr. Wells continued to work on getting them propely bathed. At least his own short hair required very little attention. It had grown back nicely after being shaved off in December. "Dr. Snow, we'll use the towel on Mr. Ramon and I'll wait until we've had a chance to dry my clothes."

"You could catch a cold by then," Caitlin protested.

"Dryers are broken," Cisco sang. "Washers too." He broke down into laughter.

"Okay, let's plan it like this," Dr. Wells began, thinking as he helped Cisco get shampoo in and washed out. "We will get Mr. Ramon taken care of, and then while I shiver, I will give you some money and clothing sizes for a clothing run."

"Okay," Caitlin agreed. She was trying hard to turn her imagination and brain in general off. They might get her into trouble.

"All done," Dr. Wells said with a sigh. "Come on, Cisco," he continued. He shut the water off and pulled the curtain back. Caitlin was waiting there with the single towel. With Dr. Wells helping, they got the young engineer dried off and into his room. Dr. Wells dripped dry as he helped the young man sit down on the edge of his bed.

"Uhm, I didn't find a first aid kit," Caitlin informed her boss as she tried to ignore the fact that he was naked, aside from his red boxers, and had water running down his nicely toned body. He looked to be in even better shape since the last time she had seen him topless.

"Oh, red boxers. Dr. Wells, were you going to get lucky tonight?" Cisco grinned mischievously.

"Nope, but I did have a date," Dr. Wells replied. "Dr. Snow, if you go get my car keys from wherever you put them, you'll find a first aid kit in the trunk of my car."

"Okay," Caitlin agreed with a nod. Slipping out of the room, she grabbed the car keys from the counter and headed out of the apartment. She couldn't believe she was spending her Valentine's night with her best friend and their boss. Still, the text message she'd seen on Dr. Wells's phone floated up into her memory and she felt mildly sick to her stomach at the thought of her boss and whoever Chris was. It figured that she'd fall not only for her boss, but her gay boss who was seeing another man. Sighing, she opened the trunk of his car, glowering at a wrapped gift as she picked up the orange bag with a star of life on it. Shaking her head, she slung the bag over her shoulder, closed the trunk, and headed up to Cisco's apartment.

"What do you mean I owe you?" Dr. Wells was saying into his phone, pacing the little living room wearing a Star Wars bed sheet like a toga. "No, you cancelled." He nodded at Caitlin as she walked into the apartment. "Look, Chris, I have to call you back. No. I have a patient. Good bye, Chris. You owe me." With a devious grin, Dr. Wells clicked the phone off and put it down on the table next to the couch. It was obvious he had enjoyed the phone call, his eyes practically glowing with amusement and happiness. "Sorry about that," he apologized to Caitlin.

"It's okay. Sorry you had to cancel your date," she said, handing him the first aid kit as they walked back to Cisco's bedroom.

"I didn't cancel it. Chris did," Dr. Wells countered, he flashed a small smile. "Pardon the bedsheet. It was the best I could find."

"Why did Chris cancel?" Caitlin wondered how much he would tell her.

"Couldn't get away from work. Happens all the time," Dr. Wells replied, waving the question away. "Want to help me patch up our poor Mr. Ramon?"

"Of course. When we're done you can write me a list of things to get and I'll run out and buy you some sweats and a shirt," Caitlin declared, trying not to let herself remember what he'd looked like before he'd wrapped up in the bed sheet.

"He fell asleep right after I got him into bed," Dr. Wells explained as Caitlin stopped in the bedroom doorway to stare at the snoring lump of Cisco. "He hit his head when he fell off your car. Also, he's been intermittently blathering about somebody named Dante."

"His brother," Caitlin explained. "They don't get along well." Sitting on the edge of the bed, she leaned over to examine Cisco's head. "Why don't you lay down, I'll clean up Cisco," she suggested.

"No, I'm fine," Dr. Wells countered. Sitting, he opened up the first aid kit and started putting out supplies. "I'm more concerned about our patient here." He quirked a crooked little smile and handed her a cleaner.

"Thank you." Taking it, Caitlin started cleaning the wound. "We'll need to rouse him every hour or so," she stated.

"Possible concussion, I agree," he said with a nod. "We could take shifts. I'll take the first after you return with some clothing. I'd look for some here, but from what Cisco babbled before he fell asleep, everything he has is dirty."

"Yeah. He was complaining earlier this week that the washers and dryers are broken," Caitlin mused as she cleaned her friend's wound.

"That sucks. I'll have to have him gather a load or two and bring it over to my place later," Dr. Wells said. They finished cleaning up their friend and both slipped out of the room after cleaning up and packing up the first aid kit.

"You know, you don't have to do this," Caitlin observed, studying him and fighting the warmth spreading from her chest. She was finding it so hard to ignore how genuinely likeable Dr. Wells was.

"Look, I can understand what Cisco is feeling. Nobody should have to deal with being dumped on Valentine's day. Sounds like his family life is pretty rough too," Dr. Wells said with a shrug. "Let me get you that list." Glancing around the apartment, he grabbed a blank shopping list and a pen and started writing. "There's money in my wallet, help yourself to however much you think you'll need."

"Oh." Watching him work, Caitlin tried not to stare and admire the way he bit his lip when thinking. "Okay." Picking up his wallet, she opened it and removed a crisp 100 dollar bill. "I'm certain this will be enough."

"Good. Here's what I need along with sizes. Nothing fancy. Thank you, Dr. Snow, for doing this," he said as he handed her the list, their fingers brushing briefly as she took it and glanced over it to make sure she could read it.

"Any particular colours?" Caitlin was stalling. She knew she wanted to just stay and spend more time with him.

"Chris says I look good in blue," Dr. Wells answered, distractedly looking at a book on the table. It was because of his distraction that he missed the face Caitlin made at the mention of Chris.

"I'll keep that in mind and try not to be too long," Caitlin said. Sighing, she let herself out of the room and headed out the door, a distracted mumble sounding from Dr. Wells.

While she was out, Caitlin found herself looking at each item of clothing and imagining the boxer clad Dr. Wells. By the time she reached the checkout, she knew she was blushing. The cashier didn't comment on what Caitlin was buying, instead looking too tired. As Caitlin was driving back to Cisco's apartment, she found her mind wondering to Chris and imagining what he looked like. What kind of man would catch Dr. Wells's attention? This of course led to her imagining Dr. Wells with the unknown Chris and more blushing on her part. She reached the door to Cisco's apartment and was just raising her hand to knock when the door was opened. Standing there was Dr. Wells, still wearing the Star Wars bed sheet toga.

"Ah, Dr. Snow. Welcome back. Come on inside." Dr. Wells stepped back, making room for her to walk past him. As she did, his gaze dipped to admire the way her muscles worked beneath her dress trousers. A smile tugged at his lips before he blinked and looked up as he closed the door.

"I hope these will be acceptable," Caitlin said, offering him the bags. He looked distracted as he took them. "How is Cisco doing?"

"Fine. I woke him up about half an hour ago and managed to get him to use the bathroom and drink some fluids," Dr. Wells reported. With a sigh he took the clothing and started dressing.

Caitlin's eyes went wide as her boss removed tags and stickers and started to pull on the pants. To her shock, when he dropped the sheet he had managed to get the sweats she'd bought him pulled up all the way to cover his lower extremities. "Good fit," Dr. Wells mused. "Why don't you go ahead and crash out on the couch. I'll check on Cisco in a bit."

"Are you sure?" As she asked the question, Dr. Wells was leading Caitlin to the couch. When she felt it at the back of her legs, she sat down. Exhaustion swept over her as she finally had a chance to stop.

"Yep. Last time it was you tucking me into bed. My turn," Dr. Wells said with a smile as he picked up the bed sheet he had shed only moments ago. "I've already made up the couch. Only set of clean sheets I could find are on there. I'll use this one and crash out on Mr. Ramon's floor. I have alarms set on my phone so I can wake up and check on him. Get some rest, Dr. Snow." Grinning, he tucked her into the couch and stood. "Sleep well." He headed back to Cisco's room, flicking off the lights as he passed the switch. With a sigh, Caitlin stared into the darkness before trying to go to sleep.

Wondrous smells lulled Caitlin from her sleep. Blinking, she stared at the floor where her shoes had been neatly placed. Realizing that Dr. Wells hadn't woken her the entire night, she bolted upright, wondering if she had missed anything. Looking around, she got to her feet and headed into the kitchen. Cisco was seated at the small table a plate full of food in front of him. While he looked miserable, he didn't look as bad as Caitlin had expected.

"Morning," Cisco greeted her with a grunt.

"How you feeling?" Caitlin sat, surprised to find a second plate filled with food waiting for her.

"Horrible," Cisco answered. "I had this dream where Dr. Wells was Han Solo."

"Intersting," Caitlin mused, her mind taking the boxer clad mental image of her boss and dressing him as Solo. "Where did all this food come from? I thought your refrigerator was empty," Caitlin observed, trying to turn her mental images off.

"Dr. Wells apparently did one of those online grocery delivery things. He had all this made when he woke me up." Cisco shoved a forkful of potatoes into his mouth.

"Oh," Caitlin said, looking around. "Where is he?"

"Sorry to rain on your parade, he left about twenty minutes ago," Cisco answered her, smiling.

"Why would that rain on my parade?" Caitlin tried to be angry. It was hard.

"Because we both know you have the hots for Dr. Wells," Cisco answered.

"Well, I'll have you know that I have no hopes of that ever going anywhere," Caitlin informed him.

"Yeah? Why is that?" Cisco arched an eyebrow, pausing with the fork hovering before his mouth.

"Because Dr. Wells apparently had a date last night with somebody named Chris," Caitlin informed him.

"Oh," Cisco said, looking confused. "That's unexpected," he mused.

"Yeah, I'd never peg Dr. Wells as being gay," Caitlin agreed. With a long sigh, she sat and started to eat. "Wow, this is really good."

"Yep. Dr. Wells is apparently a guy who can cook," Cisco replied. "Sorry, Caitlin. Thanks for taking care of me last night."

"No problem. That's what friends are for," Caitlin replied. "Thank you for being so understanding about my feelings for Dr. Wells."

"No problem," Cisco said with a shrug, clearly still feeling bad about being dumped. Reaching out and giving his hand a squeeze, Caitlin grinned.

"Think of it like this," Caitlin began. "While you may be unlucky with women, at least you aren't crushing on one that is gay and dating another woman." A smirk filled Cisco's face and one of his eyebrows arched up. "Get your mind out of the gutter," she said, tossing some bread at him which hit him in the face. With a laugh, the two returned to breakfast, laughing and chatting as they ate. Perhaps in time they would both get over their love pains.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Mountain

_**Greetings and welcome to another chapter! Pardon the delay. I'm working on this story one chapter at a time while also dealing with regular life and trying to make progress on other stories. Still no beta, and suggestions and requests welcomed. Let me know what you think! Thanks! - CT**_

 **Chapter 4: The Mountain**

The ride was anything but smooth. Several times Caitlin realized she was gripping the passenger assist bar so tightly that her knuckles were white. Cisco didn't seem to have any problem as he navigated along the snowy road. In fact, he was grinning and bobbing his head along to the music. Very loud, very upbeat music. It was amazing the difference of a little over 2 weeks made in his demeanor. Donna had dumped him on Valentine's day 16 days ago. He seemed to have bounced back from his drunken depression.

"Why did I agree to this again?" Caitlin asked, glowering out at the falling snow. "And why is it snowing now? I hate snow."

"It's a March storm," Cisco said, grinning at the falling white stuff. "And you agreed to do this because you are my absolute best friend in the world and didn't want me to come here all alone."

"True. I just hope you learn your lesson and never pay for a ski holiday with your girlfriend so early in the relationship," Caitlin lectured.

"I know, you feel I rushed it. Sorry, Caitlin, I followed my heart. I thought she was the one," Cisco protested. They had been through the discussion several times. It never changed.

"You had been dating for less than two months," Caitlin started up, earning a long sigh and an eye roll from her companion.

"Oh, look, we're here," Cisco said, happily. He parked the car and hopped out, going around to help Caitlin out.

"It's smaller than I thought," Caitlin observed as she grasped Cisco's hand. She was happy for the distraction from her argument with Cisco. At times she felt more like his sibling than friend. The ground was annoyingly slippery, forcing her to actually hang on to his hand.

"Very difficult to get reservations," Cisco proudly informed her. "That's why I grabbed them up when I found out about them. They have accommodations for about forty people, and this weekend, you and I are two of those people." Grinning, he offered Caitlin his elbow. Returning the smile, she took it and together they grabbed their bags from the trunk and headed inside.

"This is beautiful," Caitlin gasped, gazing around at the impressively decorated foyer. There were beautiful landscape paintings on the wall with large comfortable looking chairs and couches clustering around a massive fireplace. They approached the check in desk, the female doctor taking everything in as Cisco stepped up.

"Good evening, welcome to Howling Wolf Lodge," the woman at the desk greeted the young engineer.

"Thank you. Reservation for Cisco Ramon?" The young engineer smiled and watched the woman type at her computer.

"Yes, we have a one room king reserved, with jetted tub," she read.

"That's correct," Cisco said with a nod. The woman flashed a benign smile and finished typing. After a moment she passed over a little envelope containing two room key cards.

"You're in room 204. Elevators are down the hall. Your room will be to the left as you step out of the elevators," she explained. "Breakfast is served from six to ten in the morning and dinner is served from six to nine in the evening. Both meals are covered in your room fee, as are fees for rentals, and lifts."

"Great, thanks," Cisco said with a nod. He took the envelope, picked up his bag, and led Caitlin down the hall towards the elevators. "Alright, this should be fun," he declared gleefully.

"Oh, there's the pool," Caitlin observed, peaking in the window. Her breath caught in her throat as she admired the man currently swimming. "It is beautiful," she said, coughing a little as she watched the body cut through the water.

"The pool or the guy swimming in the pool?" Cisco grinned as his friend blushed. "Come on, let's go see our room." With a playful smile, the young engineer took her free hand and dragged Caitlin down the hall.

A few minutes later they were on the second floor, the engineer pulling the key out of the lock with a flourish. Waggling his eyebrows at Caitlin, Cisco pushed the door open and led the way inside. "Alright, this is sweet," he cheered, looking around the room.

"Where's the other bed?" Caitlin demanded. She stalked around the room, taking in everything. It was a beautiful room with a mini-fridge, microwave, massive television, a couch, and a king sized bed in one corner.

"Uhm, there isn't one," Cisco explained, looking nervous and sheepish. "If you don't feel comfortable sharing a king sized bed, I'll take the couch."

"Uhm," blushing, Caitlin studied the room. "Fine, we can share the bed, but we will be getting extra pillows and using them to build a wall between us." She gave him a serious look and then put her bag down on the end of the bed.

"So, we have like ten minutes before dinner," Cisco began, bringing his duffle over and putting it down next to Caitlin's. "The good news is that they don't expect us to dress for it. Everything this weekend is informal."

"Oh, good," Caitlin agreed. "I'm going to just freshen up a bit." Flashing him a smile, she grabbed her toiletries bag and headed to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later the couple found their way down to the dining area. "I heard the food here is really good," Cisco informed Caitlin as they were lead to their seats. "Especially the desserts!"

"Is there anything about this place that isn't great?" Caitlin asked as they took their seats. A laugh reached her ears. Frowning, the female doctor turned and looked over at a small table hidden in shadow. As she looked around the room, she realized that every table was occupied by two people. "Cisco," she began. "Is there something you've failed to tell me about this weekend?"

"No," Cisco immediately declared. "I mean, why do you ask?" Rolling her eyes, Caitlin tried to hold back her anger and annoyance at his sudden innocence.

"Cisco, why is everybody here this weekend a couple?" She cut straight to the point, leaning her chin on the palm of her hand.

"Because it's couple's weekend," Cisco blurted. Caitlin's eyes went wide and she looked quickly around the room. In one corner there was a man of small stature with dirty blond hair sitting with his back to her. As she watched another man approached the table, kissed the one already sitting and then took the seat.

"Oh no," squeaking, Caitlin dropped her gaze and tried to turn away from the table. "I can't believe this," she hissed.

"What?" Cisco asked, looking in the direction from which Caitlin had just turned her gaze. "Hey, is that Dr. Wells?"

"Yes," Caitlin squeaked. "With his boyfriend, Chris," she finished.

"Wow, must be serious if they're here this weekend," Cisco mused. "Look, Caitlin, just pretend you didn't notice them and we'll do our best to avoid them all weekend."

"Great idea." Caitlin's dark eyes glowered daggers at her dinner companion. "When exactly were you going to tell me that everyone here is going to assume that you and I are a couple?"

"Uhm," Cisco looked horribly guilty. "Never," he mumbled, opening the menu and hiding his face. Frowning, Caitlin shook her head and opted to drop the argument.

They ended up having a wonderful dinner. Once Caitlin let go of her irritation and annoyance, she actually enjoyed Cisco's company. She did look in the direction of Dr. Wells and his date once or twice. The scientist looked perfectly happy. His laughter floated to their table occasionally, but Caitlin stayed determined to enjoy herself. As the couple headed back to their room, Caitlin did catch a glance of Dr. Wells leaning over Chris as they waited for the elevator. The female scientist simply grabbed Cisco's hand and rushed him past the distracted couple. The younger couple ended up taking the stairs.

"Wow, looks like they're serious," Cisco said as he and Caitlin exited onto their floor. "I mean, Dr. Wells is taller than Chris, but that seems to work for them."

"Chris certainly fits into Dr. Wells's embrace," Caitlin agreed. "Makes it easier to forget my attraction to him though."

"To Dr. Wells or to his Chris?" Cisco grinned widely as he unlocked the door and they slipped into the room, laughing as Caitlin swatted at her friend. The door closed just as Dr. Wells and Chris came around the corner.

"Well, looks like Cisco has moved on from his breakup," Dr. Wells mused, pulling out the room key. "Race you to our room!" His laughter bounced off the wall as Chris chased the other man down the hall. The door to Cisco and Caitlin's room opened and the female doctor poked her head out the door, shocked to see Dr. Wells and Chris tearing down the hallway.

"This is going to be a long weekend," Caitlin muttered, shutting the door once more and returning to the main portion of the room. Cisco was on the phone ordering up extra pillows. Sighing, Caitlin dropped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Aw, come on Caitlin," Cisco said as he hung up the room phone. "I know we aren't dating, but this could still be a great weekend. Skiing, sledding, hot chocolate by the fire." He jumped onto his side of the bed, pulling a smile from his companion.

"Trying not to watch our boss get frisky with his boyfriend," Caitlin added, flicking her dark eyes to Cisco so that their eyes locked.

"Seriously?" Cisco arched an eyebrow, uncertain if he was amused or something else.

"You didn't just see them. They were literally chasing each other down the hallway," Caitlin said, waving her hand towards the door. "Dr. Wells was giggling like a little kid." Rolling up onto her side, she tucked her hand beneath her head and let out another long sigh. "I'm not going to let this get me down. I'm going to get a shower, and then snuggle into bed."

"I'm going to stay up for a bit," Cisco said, hopping from the bed and taking out his tablet.

"Okay." Staggering to her feet, Caitlin grabbed her things and headed to the bathroom. By the time she stepped out after her shower, the pillows had arrived and Cisco was already tucked into bed reading a book, pillow wall stretching the length of the bed. "Night."

"Night," Cisco agreed, watching as Caitlin turned off the overhead lights and climb into bed. For a moment, they sat in silence, the reading lamp the only light. "Hey, Caitlin," Cisco began. "Thank you for joining me this weekend."

"No problem," Caitlin spoke gently, rolling to face her friend. "Thank you for inviting me. I'm sorry I got so grumpy about Dr. Wells being here with his boyfriend for the couple's weekend. Still getting used to that I suppose."

"Don't worry. At least you didn't get dumped on Valentine's day," Cisco mused. Patting him gently on the arm, Caitlin just smiled and settled down to sleep.

 **Early Morning**

It was still dark out when she woke. The pillow wall had been an epic failure. Caitlin woke entangled with Cisco, their hands clasped. Sighing, she gently extracted herself from his embrace and went to get into workout clothes. She didn't ski, but she figured she could still enjoy breakfast, the exercise room, pool, and maybe she would try the sledding offered. No matter what, she was determined to enjoy the weekend. Once she was dressed, Caitlin pocketed one of the room keys and slipped out into the hallway.

The lodge felt different early in the morning. Caitlin imagined that she could hear the other guests breathing in their sleep. As she slipped into the exercise center, an employee passed her, nodding and smiling. The man looked a little surprised to see someone up so early. Choosing to ignore him, the female doctor picked one of the three treadmills and started her workout. As she ran, she stared out the window and listened to her music. Outside, snow was lightly falling so that it looked like something off a Christmas card. It made Caitlin sigh in disappointment. She was ready for spring.

Losing herself to her workout, she was only briefly aware that somebody had entered and claimed the treadmill to her left. While she was a little surprised that somebody was up that early, she was more interested in her workout than socializing. They had been running side by side for several minutes when Caitlin actually focused on the reflection in the window. Of course. It would be Dr. Wells, wouldn't it. The one person she was actively trying to avoid was now running right next to her in skimpy shorts and a muscle tee. Maybe he hadn't recognized her. He was staring straight ahead with earbuds in and seemed to be very focused on his workout.

Hoping to avoid having to talk to him and explain why she was there with Cisco, Caitlin finished up, grabbed a towel, and headed to slip into her swimsuit, a shower, and the pool. Sighing as she stepped into the water, Caitlin leaned back and let herself just float. She wasn't certain how long she was floating like that when she heard a splash and was assaulted by small waves. Startled, she sat up and came face to face with a grinning Harrison Wells.

"Oh, Dr. Wells," Caitlin began, uncertain what else to say.

"Dr. Snow, we are not at work. Nowhere near it in fact. Please, call me Harrison," he gently chided her. As he spoke, he lowered himself into the water and gently kicked his feet up. "Sorry I splashed you."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Caitlin managed, forcing a smile. "I was just getting out." Standing, she rushed for the steps.

"Don't," he said, catching hold of her hand. "If I make you so uncomfortable that you can't finish your workout, I'll go." He smiled sadly, and started for the side of the pool. Speechless, Caitlin watched as he pushed up and climbed out without needing to use the ladder, or steps. Instead he just smoothly lifted himself up on his arms until he could get his foot on the edge. Without another word or look back, he grabbed a towel and started drying off.

"Harrison," Caitlin finally called out. "Stay. I'm sorry. It isn't fair for you to cut your workout short for me." She moved to the edge of the pool. "Why don't we both finish our workouts? I was just going to do some water aerobics."

"Oh," he had turned back to face her, the towel draped around his shoulders. For a moment he just stared at her, admiring the way her wet hair clung to her cheeks. "Well, enjoy your workout. I'm already out." His gaze dipped to the floor as he turned away and headed out, tossing his towel into the hamper by the door as he slung the gym bag he'd brought down over his shoulder.

Watching him go, Caitlin sighed and started jogging in place. She had really screwed that up. What the hell had she been thinking, making it so obvious that she was trying to avoid him? Shaking her head in irritation at herself, she focused on her workout, perhaps pushing herself a bit harder than normal. An hour later when she exited the water she knew she would be sore, but figured she deserved it. A shower and fresh clothes later and she was once more slipping out of the room.

The breakfast room was full when Caitlin arrived. Cisco was still drooling in bed, sprawled out taking all of it. They were on vacation so the female doctor had decided to let him sleep. Of course, this meant that she was going to be eating by herself. Studying the room, she spotted one other person sitting at a table alone. It was Dr. Wells. Standing up straighter, she ran a hand through her hair and strode over to the table. Her boss had just sat down and was sipping at some coffee when she came to stand before him. Without waiting, she sat. "So, is Chris still sleeping?"

Coughing on his coffee, Dr. Wells nearly dropped his travel mug as he tried to collect his wits. "Dr. Snow," he managed to gasp out.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," she said. "And, if I'm supposed to call you Harrison outside of the lab, how about you call me Caitlin?" He swallowed a mouthful of coffee and stared at the table before lifting his gaze to her.

"Actually, perhaps you are correct in insisting that we keep this professional," he began. "I wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea and for our friendship to have a negative impact on your career." It sounded rehearsed. In fact, Caitlin was willing to bet he had been practicing it since he'd walked away from the pool.

"Alright, Dr. Wells. I can stay professional. However, that's no reason why we can't share a fitness room, pool, or even a breakfast table," she answered after a moment of thought. "So, Chris still sleeping?"

"Weekend lie in, as Chris calls it," Dr. Wells answered with a nod of his head. "So, planning on hitting the slopes later?" He set his travel mug down and Caitlin watched as he popped the lid and added two sugars and two creamers.

"I don't ski," Caitlin answered honestly. "I was told the sledding is pretty fun. I'm guessing you're an avid skier."

"Nope. Trip over my own feet. Look like an unbalanced flamingo. Chris loves to ski and laugh at me trying. The beach is my domain really, but Chris loves skiing so much though, here I am. I was thinking I'd try the sledding as well," Dr. Wells informed her. He recapped his mug, swirled it some and then sipped it. Caitlin smiled as he considered his drink a moment longer before putting it down.

"Maybe we can go together." She looked around, trying to figure out how she was supposed to get her meal.

"Omelet station is over there," Dr. Wells informed her, motioning at a short line. "Fixings are over there with the fresh fruit and other stuff on the buffet. Tea bags are over by the coffee along with hot water." He motioned in the direction he'd gotten his coffee.

"How did you know I'd want tea?" Caitlin was surprised he knew. He shrugged and leaned back, sipping at his coffee before answering.

"I pay attention. I think they even have your brand." Grinning calmly, he put his mug down and started digging into his omelet. For a moment, Caitlin watched him eat before getting up and going to get her own food. By the time she returned, he was almost done.

"So, what are your plans for the day?" Caitlin asked as she prepared her tea.

"Chris wants to spend the day skiing, which means I will spend my day falling," he grinned. "Then I think we're planning to spend the evening in our room sitting by the fire. What are you and Cisco up to today?"

"Cisco has us signed up for beginners lessons. Then I think I'll have a date with a soak in the tub followed by ice packs by the fire," Caitlin said after a moment of thought. Briefly she had considered denying being there with Cisco, but there was no point.

"Maybe I'll see you at the infirmary," Dr. Wells said, standing and taking up his travel mug. He glanced at his wrist watch. "I have to go wake Chris up before breakfast ends. If I don't, I'll be sleeping on the couch. Have fun and be safe today." Grinning at her once more, he headed out, clearing his part of the table as he went. Sighing, Caitlin allowed herself the joy of watching him leave before focusing on her own breakfast.

"Dr. Wells is chipper," Cisco said, shuffling up next to the table a moment later. The engineer looked exhausted. Looking him up and down, Caitlin simply shook her head at the Harry Potter pajamas he wore. At least he wasn't wearing boxers and a tee shirt. "I need food." Barely lifting his bunny eared slippers, the engineer made his way to the buffet.

"How is it that you look like you were up all night?" Caitlin asked as Cisco returned. "We're on vacation."

"I got an idea for a new flame retardant suit and was up half the night writing ideas down in my computer," Cisco informed her, slurping on his coffee. "I think I only slept about five hours." He rubbed at a drooping eyelid. "Our class starts in two hours so I figured I should get up, eat, shower, do other stuff that makes you feel human." He shrugged. "What did Dr. Wells have to say?"

"That he doesn't ski, but Chris does. I guess Dr. Wells must really like Chris if he knew he'd be spending his weekend falling down the ski slopes but came anyhow," Caitlin mused.

"Wonder how long they've been together. I've never heard him talk about anyone except his wife, Tess Morgan," Cisco declared.

"You've heard him talk about Tess?" Caitlin's eyebrows shut up in surprise.

"Yeah," Cisco nodded and shoved some food into his mouth, forcing Caitlin to wait a minute while he chewed. "When he brought me over to his place so I could do some laundry," he managed around some of his mouthful.

"What did he say?"

"That she once turned all his workout clothes pink on purpose," Cisco supplied a moment later after he'd swallowed his food. "You should have seen the way he smiled and lit up while he talked about her. I think he really loved her."

"Chris makes him light up too," Caitlin informed him. "Do you know when Tess died?"

"Oh yeah," Cisco nodded, his eyes big and serious. "I made the mistake of asking him. It was like popping a balloon with a pin, he just deflated. They were in this horrible car accident like 14 years ago. They both survived, but Tess died a year later due to complications. He didn't go into details."

"Do you think she spent the entire year in the hospital?" Caitlin had never gotten up the courage to ask or even look too deeply into Dr. Wells's history. She just knew his wife had died.

"No idea. I do know that he moved out here shortly after the funeral and started work on the accelerator almost right away," Cisco supplied. "Can we change the subject? Death is kind of depressing to talk about first thing in the morning. You're bringing my eggs and bacon down."

"Sorry. So, are you looking forwards to our lesson?" Caitlin changed the subject and they moved on with their day.

She didn't think about Dr. Wells again until they were headed in for dinner. They had stayed so busy with their lesson and practicing that Caitlin hadn't really had time to think about much else. As they limped into the main lobby, every muscle aching from new use, they looked up to see Dr. Wells exiting the infirmary with an ice pack placed gingerly to his hip. The trio almost collided as they all approached the elevator. Stepping to one side, Caitlin narrowly avoided her boss as he stopped and leaned against the wall.

"You alright there, Dr. Wells?" Cisco asked, eyeing the older man worriedly.

"Yep, nothing some ice, painkillers and a day in bed won't fix," Dr. Wells groaned out, clearly still in pain. "Did you two have a nice lesson?" He managed to get upright as the elevator arrived and dinged open. Waving his employees ahead, he shuffled on once Caitlin and Cisco were inside.

"It was great," Cisco beamed, Caitlin's smile joining his as well. "Caitlin is a natural." Groaning in pain, Dr. Wells took a moment to respond. "Oh, good for you." They arrived at their floor and Dr. Wells hobbled off, pausing a few steps towards his room to lean against the wall.

"Dr. Wells, are you sure you're alright?" Caitlin still stood by the elevator, watching in worry.

"Yep," Dr. Wells grunted out. "Hey, how about we double date for dinner. The four of us can sit together. I'd love for you to meet Chris." It was clear he was trying to remain upbeat and ignore the bruised pain he was experiencing.

"Uhm," Cisco looked to Caitlin, wondering how she would feel about sharing their meal with their boss and his boyfriend.

"That sounds great," Caitlin answered, beaming.

"Good. Knowing Chris, it will be another hour before that Snow Bunny is ready to come off the mountain. So, meet you down there in about an hour and a half?" He glanced at his watch, grimacing as he shifted his weight and aggravated a bruise.

"Wow, Chris can get ready fast," Cisco observed.

"Only when it's informal," Dr. Wells shot back. "So, hour and a half?"

"See you down there," Caitlin agreed with a grin.

"Good, that will also give the ice and painkillers time to work their magic," Dr. Wells grumbled, turning and continuing on to his room. Caitlin watched him go, wondering what the hell she had just agreed to do. She wasn't certain she could sit and eat dinner with Dr. Wells and his boyfriend. While she was finding it easier to spend time with her boss, she was still attracted to him. A hand swatted at her shoulder.

"Come on," Cisco said, as Caitlin brought her attention to him. "I totally need a shower before we go eat." Nodding numbly, the female doctor followed him to their room and inside. Once the door was closed, the spell was apparently broken as Caitlin's eyes widened.

"Oh my god. Cisco, what have I done?" Covering her face with her hands, Caitlin dropped onto the couch and threw her head back. "I cannot sit through dinner with that man and his boyfriend."

"I don't know," Cisco mused with a shrug. "I thought it'd be kind of cool to meet Dr. Wells's boyfriend." Caitlin shot him a look and he took a step back, hands up in the air. "What? Dr. Wells is pretty cool. I mean, how many bosses do you know would have you over to do laundry because your machines are broken?"

"Then you go eat with them. I can't face it," Caitlin declared. Sighing, Cisco shook his head and sat down next to his best friend.

"Caitlin, seriously, you need to get over him. I know how attracted to him you are, but apparently you two aren't meant to be together. Maybe if you spend an evening with him and Chris it will be easier to let him go," Cisco suggested, reaching out to gently rub her shoulders. Covering her face with a pillow, Caitlin shook her head. Rolling his eyes, Cisco stood and headed for the bathroom. "You have an hour to figure everything out. I'm going to get a shower. You can figure out what to do about dinner tonight." He gave her a serious look before vanishing into the bathroom.

An hour later Caitlin was nervously pacing the room, still trying to figure out what to do. Cisco was settled at the desk, typing away at his computer, continuing his work on the turnout gear idea. They had both showered and while Cisco was perfectly content to sit and work on his new idea, Caitlin couldn't figure out what to do about dinner. A knock sounded at the door and with a frown, the female doctor went to answer it. A staff member stood waiting patiently at the door. "Yes?" Caitlin looked around the hallway, half-expecting Dr. Wells.

"Dr. Snow?"

"Yes?"

"This was left for you at the front desk," the man handed an envelope to Caitlin and then walked away. Stepping back into the room, Caitlin closed the door and walked back to the bed, studying the envelope. Her name was written on the front in neat, unfamiliar handwriting.

"What have you got there?" Cisco asked as he looked up from his work.

"Not sure. Looks like somebody wrote me a letter and left it at the front desk," Caitlin replied, sitting as she opened the letter and started reading. A frown formed on her lips, growing as she continued to read.

"That's not a good look," Cisco said, watching her read.

"It's a letter from Chris, Caitlin supplied. "It says that Dr. Wells had some sort of allergic reaction and had to be taken to the hospital. They've checked out for the weekend." She looked up, worry pulling the ends of her lips down farther. "It says that we shouldn't worry, but if the reaction was bad enough that Dr. Wells had to go to the hospital, it could be serious."

"Can I see?" Cisco asked, pointing at the paper. Nodding, Caitlin offered him the letter. Taking it, he read quickly through it. "It says it was something he drank. Look, we can cancel the weekend if you want and go visit him in the hospital."

Taking the letter back, Caitlin studied it a moment longer and then shook her head. "No. We'll check on him Monday. It says he was worried about ruining our weekend. I don't want Dr. Wells to think we cancelled our vacation because of him."

"Okay. Well, if he isn't at work on Monday, then we'll check in on him at the hospital," Cisco decided. "Agreed?"

"Agreed," Caitlin said with a nod. She continued to stare at the piece of paper until Cisco plucked it from her fingers.

"At least now we don't have to worry about dinner. Come on, I'm hungry," Cisco said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. Caitlin allowed him to drag her along.

The dining area was half-full so they found seats easily enough. A server brought them menus which they silently perused. Eventually the server returned to take their orders. It was obvious something was bothering Caitlin as she distractedly gazed at her menu. "Stop worrying about Dr. Wells," Cisco demanded after they had ordered their meals.

"Cisco, I'm sorry. I can't help it," Caitlin informed him. She let out a worried sigh and fiddled with her cloth napkin.

"He didn't want to ruin our weekend," Cisco pointed out.

"I know, but what if he's having a really bad reaction?" As she spoke, Caitlin pressed both hands firmly against the table, trying to still them.

Letting out an irritated sigh, Cisco pulled out his phone. "Will you stop worrying if we call him?" He waved his phone at her.

"I don't have his number," Caitlin said, looking apologetic.

"S'okay. I do." Flicking through his contacts, Cisco sent the call. He listened to the line ring, as he glanced at Caitlin, who was nervously picking at a finger. "Dr. Wells?"

"Brisco?" The voice on the other line sounded a little like Dr. Wells, but there was a dazed slur to the words. "Brisco, stop calling me and enjoy your vacation! Somebody should have some fun!"

"Dr. Wells, you okay?" Cisco shared a confused and concerned look with Caitlin. She had leaned in so that she was sharing the phone with her friend.

"Nope. Had an action thinger. Don't worry though, cause the docs are gonna fix me up a treat and Chris isn't gonna go away anytime swoon," Dr. Wells answered.

"Okay. Well, you take care of yourself," Cisco suggested. "See you Monday?"

"Okay, I love you. Bye-bye," came the drunk sounding response. The line went dead and Cisco pulled his phone away to stare at it in confusion.

"I guess he's going to be okay," Caitlin said after a long moment of silence.

"Cait, he's high as a kite," Cisco stated. "He probably won't remember that conversation."

"At least he seemed to be enjoying himself?" She was trying to control her emotions. While part of her was still worried, another part was amused by the apparent intoxication of her boss.

"Yeah. He must be a fun drunk," Cisco mused. "Look, I'm worried too. At the moment, he doesn't want us around. Why would he? He's our boss, Caitlin. The coolest boss in the world, but still our boss. Maybe we should respect his privacy and just try to enjoy our weekend. His boyfriend is there for him."

"You're right," Caitlin agreed. "I'm sorry, Cisco. Up until now, it seemed like Dr. Wells was perfect." Shrugging, she looked to him and grinned. "Thank you, for this weekend and for being my friend." Taking his hand in hers, she gave it a squeeze. There was a moment of silence as their dark eyes locked and slowly they both leaned forwards.

In the back of his head, a little voice reminded Cisco that Caitlin had a crush on their boss. He'd thought Dr. Wells had been crushing on Caitlin as well. The older man's awkward attempt to put Caitlin at ease had backfired straining even their working relationship, but the revelation of Chris had seemed to smooth things over. So, Cisco quashed the little voice and went in for the kiss.

Something was wrong. The kiss didn't feel right. As he pulled away, Cisco fought the temptation to frown. Seeing the look on Caitlin's face, he knew she'd felt the same thing. "That will never happen again," Cisco said softly. "I promise." A small smile tugged the corner of her lips. When she didn't actually say anything, he worried. "Caitlin, are we okay?"

"Better than okay," Caitlin finally replied. "Best friends?" She cocked her head to the side as she waited for his answer.

"Definitely," Cisco agreed. "More like siblings, though." A laugh escaped her and Cisco felt every muscle relax. His friendship with Caitlin was too important to lose it over a misplaced kiss. It was obvious from the way they'd felt during the kiss that they weren't meant to be romantically involved. Still, in their time together, Cisco felt like he'd come to know Caitlin better than anyone. Smiling at her laugh, he leaned back in his chair.

"So, tell me about this suit you've dreamed up," Caitlin requested, leaning towards him.

"Well, I'm trying to make a better set of turn out gear," Cisco began.

"You mean the protective clothing firefighters and EMS wear?" Caitlin frowned, uncertain she was understanding him.

"Exactly," Cisco agreed. "I was thinking of something that would offer better protection but with less weight."

"If you could figure out a way to remotely monitor vitals, that would be good," Caitlin mused, her mind turning to the idea. "Firefighters can easily get dehydrated while they work. Being able to monitor their vitals would make it so that they could be relieved before they are in dire condition."

"Oh, I like the way you think," Cisco cheered softly. Leaning closer to each other, they continued to brainstorm until dinner arrived.

They managed the rest of dinner without too much worry. They did stay up a little later discussing the possible causes of the reaction and what the reaction itself might be, but they still managed to get to sleep. The next day they spent the entire day on the slopes. It meant that they got back to Central City late, but Caitlin was still determined to get into work early.

Monday morning Caitlin found her way to Dr. Wells's office first thing in the morning. She was a little surprised to see the door was opened and the light was on, spilling out into the hallway. Knocking gently on the open door, she stepped in without waiting for an answer. Dr. Wells was sitting at his desk, tugging at a hospital wristband. "Stupid thing, won't come off," he was muttering to himself.

"You could always try scissors," Caitlin suggested, smiling with amusement. Looking up at her, Dr. Wells managed a meek smile.

"Can't find them," Dr. Wells said with a frown. "How was your weekend?"

"Better than yours, apparently," Caitlin said, coming forwards. Gently she took his hand and studied the bracelet. "They admitted you for an overnight observation?" She looked up into his eyes, which were cloudy with exhaustion. "Dr. Wells, maybe you should go home and rest."

"I'm fine, Dr. Snow. Thank you for your concern. The hospital released me this morning. Chris dropped me off and informed me that I would only be working a half day. Seems my weekend companion is going to pick me up around lunch time and take me home," Dr. Wells explained wearily. "My plan is to just hide out here until then. Did you need something?"

"No, I was just checking in on you. Sorry we missed dinner together," Caitlin said.

"I'm sorry as well," Dr. Wells agreed with a nod. "Maybe another day."

"What did you react to?"

"No idea. We ordered some drinks from room service and about ten minutes after we started drinking them I felt horrible," he supplied. "Chris called the front desk and had them call EMS. After that it all gets a little blurry for me." He shrugged and ran a hand through untamed hair.

"Well, let me know if I can do anything for you. Feel better." Caitlin started for the door, pausing to look back at him. "Dr. Wells," she began. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Thank you, Dr. Snow. I'm just sorry I missed dinner. I really wanted you and Cisco to meet Chris." He actually looked a little sad and upset. For a moment he looked uncomfortable. "Dr. Snow, does the rest of the lab know about you and Mr. Ramon?" Frowning, Caitlin wondered what he was talking about. Slowly she realized that he had assumed that she and Cisco were a couple.

"Nope," she answered, uncertain why she didn't correct him. A little voice in her head said it didn't matter. Dr. Wells had his Chris, so what did she care if Dr. Wells thought she had Cisco.

"Well, nobody will hear it from me. Good day," he nodded at her and they exchanged smiles.

"Feel better." With that, Caitlin strode out the door. For some reason, Dr. Wells thinking she and Cisco were a couple left her feeling pleased. It was childish, really, but thinking there was even a small chance of making him jealous, made her feel better.


	5. Chapter 5 - Game Night

_**Hallo! Welcome to the next chapter. Thank you everyone who has left me comments. I hope everyone is still enjoying this series. I am writing it one chapter at a time and am more than open to suggestions or ideas. Enjoy! -CT**_

 **Chapter 5: Game Night**

If anyone were to ask him, Cisco Ramon would have happily declared that he had the coolest boss in the world. It was a statement that he truly believed. After all, how many bosses would have you over to do laundry because the machines at your building were down? How many bosses would help get you home, showered, to bed, buy you groceries, and make you breakfast? All these things, Dr. Wells had done for Cisco. The fact that the man had once been jonesing for Cisco's best friend, Caitlin Snow, didn't change the way the young engineer thought about the older man. Cisco had no problem believing that his boss wanted the best for him. It helped Cisco stay calm as he spoke to his boss over speaker phone about a project the younger man had fallen behind on at work.

"Mr. Ramon, I appreciate that we've had a delay due to vendor issues, but we really need to get back on track with this," Dr. Wells was saying over the phone. At his desk, Cisco nodded as he frantically worked on the project they were discussing.

"Right. I know Dr. Wells," Cisco agreed. Before Dr. Wells could respond, Donna Rowe, Cisco's ex-girlfriend, entered the engineer's work room.

"Hi, Cisco!" Donna greeted him brightly. Looking up, Cisco dropped the screwdriver he'd been using and swore.

"Donna!" He squeaked out, shocked and annoyed to see her in his territory. "What brings you here?" The woman had rather cruelly dumped him on Valentine's day nearly two months prior. Caitlin Snow had gone drinking with him and then, with Dr. Wells's help, gotten him home.

"I just wanted to check and make sure that we were still friends," Donna purred, sashaying up to the table where Cisco was working.

"Uhm," Cisco babbled, unable to get his brain to function properly. "Yeah, s-sure."

"Oh, good. I'd love for you to meet Ted," she gushed, leaning in and giving him a good look down her cleavage. While they were no longer dating, Cisco wasn't immune to her physical beauty.

"Yeah. Uh-huh," Cisco agreed, unable to think.

"Great. How about tonight?" She was practically purring with glee in her power over him.

"Oh, no tonight doesn't work," Cisco rushed. His brain had apparently kicked on and he was rapidly trying to figure out how to avoid meeting the man he'd been dumped for.

"Oh? Why not?" She frowned, her large lips trying to turn Cisco's brain off again.

"I'm having some friends over. Game night. Ya know?" He flicked his gaze to the entrance, hoping somebody would save him. No luck.

"Oh, well why don't we join you? Ted is just dying to meet you and I always love a good game!" Her grin was almost sinister.

"Oh, uh," Cisco floundered. What the hell was he supposed to say?

"Your place, seven thirty?" She grinned, and started stalking for the door. Once she was out the door, Cisco made a high-pitched "ugh" noise.

Dejectedly, he dropped into his chair. "Ramon, you fool. She's gonna show up at your empty apartment with this perfect guy she dumped you for, and rub their perfect relationship in your face!" He lamented. His previous worries about his project for Dr. Wells forgotten, he dropped his head to the table top, groaning and wondering how he would get out of it.

Eventually, Cisco trudged home, resigned to the horror that was awaiting him that evening. He'd been home for about two hours and was trying to figure out what to tell Donna and her perfect Ted when there was a knock at his door. Glancing to the clock, he frowned, wondering who the hell it could be. Donna and her new beau weren't due for another half an hour. He hadn't told anybody else about the night's events. Confused, he went to the door, and checked the peephole. Caitlin. Why on Earth was Caitlin there?

Undoing the locks, Cisco pulled the door open. "Caitlin? What are you doing here?" There, standing before him in jeans and a tee shirt, stood his best friend Dr. Caitlin Snow, with a bag of chips in one hand and a jar of twizzlers in the other.

"Dr. Wells told me to be here at seven and to bring snacks," Caitlin said, looking confused. "He said you didn't get a chance to tell me yourself because you were working on that engine or whatever it is you've been locked in your cave working on. I had just enough time to get home, change into something more casual and stop at the store on my way over." She held out the snacks. "Hope these are okay."

"Dr. Wells told you to be here?" Cisco asked, taking the snacks and stepping back so she could enter.

"Yep," Caitlin agreed with a nod. "He said we were doing a game night. Just so you know, I don't play poker." She entered the little apartment and closed the door. "Where are we setting up?"

"Uhm," Cisco began. He looked around his apartment, at a loss for what to do or say.

"How about we put the food on the bar at least until we know what everyone else is bringing," Caitlin suggested. She strode into the living room and looked around. It was neater than last time. At least Cisco had managed a little bit of time to clean up. Without waiting for Cisco, she started to unpack the snacks, paper plates, napkins, plasticware, and cups she'd brought with her. "When is everyone else arriving?"

As if she'd summoned it, another knock sounded at the door. Frowning, Cisco went and once more checked before opening the door. Donna stood outside, a please grin filling her face. Clearly, she thought tonight was going to be amusing. Sighing, the young man opened the door and stepped back. "Hey, Donna, come on in," Cisco said, knowing there was no escaping his fate now.

"Hi, Cisco," Donna gooed. She was wearing a tight, skimpy dress with a plunging neckline. Cisco thought she'd look like a tramp. "Sorry we're early. You don't mind, right?" Grinning in an irritating way, she stalked into the living room, frowning at Caitlin. "Oh, Dr. Snow."

"Hello, Donna," Caitlin greeted, trying suppress an overwhelming desire to chuck food at the odious woman. She opted for gripping the back of a barstool tightly.

"Hi," a man about Caitlin's age said entering. He wasn't much taller than Cisco, was wearing jeans and a equation tee shirt. "I'm Ted," he informed them all a bit awkwardly. "I brought guacamole." He tilted the bowl he was holding to allow them all a view of the contents. At the door, Cisco pushed it shut and wondered what kind of special hell he'd fallen into.

"I assured him we didn't need to bring anything," Donna oozed. "But he insisted." Grinning that sadistic grin of hers, she stroked a hand up the poor man's torso.

"No, no," Caitlin declared, understanding starting to dawn. "Everyone brings something except the host." Stepping forwards she grinned at Ted. It wasn't this man's fault. "Come on, Ted. We were going to set the food up on the bar for now."

"Great," Ted agreed. He didn't look at Donna as he followed Caitlin to the little kitchen. Meanwhile, the horrid woman leered at Cisco.

"I thought you said there was going to be more than just Dr. Snow," Donna baited him. Suppressing a glare, Cisco tried to decide how to respond. He didn't get a chance as another knock sounded at the door.

"There they are now," Cisco declared, feigning confidence despite not knowing who it was. Turning, he returned to the door and glanced out only to pull back as he was treated to an up close view of Dr. Wells's eye. Laughter carried through the door as if the other man had just seen Cisco's reaction. Shaking his head, Cisco pulled the door open. "Hey, Dr. Wells."

"Cisco!" Cheering the young man's name, Harrison Wells stepped grandly into the room and delivered a bone crushing hug. While he was still wearing dress pants, his green dress shirt was unbuttoned revealing a blue tee shirt with the logo of a surf shop on it. "I've told you man, outside of work hours I'm just Harrison. Hope I'm not too late." Turning back to the door, he picked up a grocery bag. "I brought lots of snacks and I also invited a friend. Is that okay?" He was practically bouncing.

"That's fine," Cisco agreed. "Harrison, I assume you know Donna from work." Harrison nodded at the woman, grinning widely at the shocked look on her face. At that moment Caitlin returned with Ted. "You know Caitlin. Ted, this is our boss, Harrison." A smile blossomed on the female doctor's face as she saw her boss lift the large grocery bag.

"Hi. I brought lots of goodies," Harrison informed them all. "I know what Cisco's cupboards tend to look like. No offense, Cisco." He shot an apologetic look at the young engineer who shrugged.

"None taken. Who's your friend and when should we expect him?" Cisco asked, glancing at the still open door. Would they get to meet the elusive Chris? They'd caught glimpses of the shorter man with the dirty blond hair.

"I am and now would be about right," a British voice declared as a female stepped around the door frame.

"Chris!" Harrison giddily cheered her name and stepped up to hug her tightly and deliver a kiss. "You made it!" He broke the embrace but kept contact with the woman.

"Yes, I made it," the woman agreed dryly. "Now, be a good boy, and introduce me." His arm around the woman, Harrison stepped them both into the room, kicking the door shut with one foot.

"Right. Uhm, Dr. Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon, Donna Rowe, and Ted, this is Dr. Chris McGee," Harrison informed everyone. Rolling her eyes, Dr. McGee elbowed Harrison roughly in the ribs. "Ouch. Right, Tina to pretty much everyone but me." He flashed a smile and rubbed at where she'd hit him. "Rough houser," he softly whined at her.

"Bully," Tina shot back at him before turning her attention to the rest of the group. "So lovely to meet you all. Where are we setting up and what are we playing?" Like Harrison, she was still dressed in her work clothes, though she'd changed her high heels out for a comfortable looking pair of trainers.

"Food's in on the bar," Cisco began. The group moved to the bar, Harrison stooping to pick up his grocery bag. With Tina's help, he started setting out everything that he'd brought.

"Oh, crudite," Caitlin approved as a tray was set out. "And fresh fruit. Nice Dr. Wells."

"Harrison," he corrected automatically. "Those are the rules. No work, no titles. Not tonight."

"Tonight we're just normal human beings," Tina agreed. She gave her partner a look as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "Well, human as we can be. Honestly, I'm not always certain about you, Harrison." He turned to her with a finger in one mouth, apparently having already sampled some of the fruit. A moment later a wide grin filled his face and he pulled her in for a hug.

"Aw, you know you love me, Chris." His eyes roved over the food spread. "Oh, guacamole." Reaching out, he picked up a chip to dip only to have Tina smack his hand.

"No. You know how that makes you feel," Tina lectured him, giving him a stern look.

"Ouch. Are you gonna hit me all night?" Harrison demanded, rounding on his companion. A smile was tugging at both their lips.

"That depends. Do you want the dirty answer, the honest answer, or a lie so I'll keep hitting you?" The two stood locked in a face off until Cisco cleared his throat.

"So," the engineer said once he was the center of attention. "Why don't we all get a plate of food and then we can figure out what we want to play," Cisco suggested.

"Sounds good. I'll admit I'm a little disappointed. There's too many of us to play full contact yoga," Harrison declared, piling his plate with food.

"Full contact yoga?" Caitlin asked, confusion making her frown.

"He means Twister," Tina informed her. "Maybe next time. Poker is out. Harrison and I don't play that together anymore." They were all putting food on their plates now. Tina had brought drinks and disposable cups so Harrison was already filling his. Caitlin watched the way her boss and his girlfriend helped each other without speaking. How long had they been together?

"Why not?" Cisco asked, joy filling his soul as he caught a sour look on Donna's face.

"She knows all my tells and I know all of hers," Harrison supplied. "Makes it pretty boring when you can tell if the other is lying." Somehow he managed to hold both his plate, his cup, and Tina's cup in his hand. Without talking they went to the same spot at the table and sat.

"Oh. Yeah, I can see how that might not be so fun," Cisco agreed. Finished filling his plate with food, the engineer went and sat next to his boss. He was amused to see Harrison trying to sneak some guacamole off of Tina's plate. Even more entertaining was seeing Tina deflect Harrison's attempt without even looking.

"You know you're allergic," Tina lectured. Jutting his lips out, Harrison made a pouty face. Across from Cisco, Caitlin sat, trying not to stare. A little part of her wanted to cry. The two older scientists seemed perfect for each other. They acted like an old married couple, grazing off each other's plates and teasing as they ate. Caitlin was trying not to be too obvious as she watched them, but she tore her eyes away from them when Cisco tried to steal some of her popcorn.

"Hey, get your own," Caitlin lectured Cisco.

"Here, have some of mine," Tina offered, throwing popcorn across the table at Cisco. Much to Caitlin's amusement, the older woman had excellent aim and managed to hit the young man on the nose with a kernel.

"Don't mind if I do," Harrison agreed, reaching out to snag some of the flying popcorn.

"Oy, you get your own," Tina informed him. Ted cleared his throat, standing by the table and appearing to be completely and totally uncomfortable with the strange group.

"So, do you guys do this often? Double date, I mean," he clarified as he looked around the table.

"Nope," Cisco answered.

"I think we should play a card game," Tina suggested, ignoring the question entirely.

"Which one?" Cisco asked. It was easy to forget that this was his boss's girlfriend. The way Tina just seemed to meld right into the group made it feel like they had always been a quartet of good friends.

"Dr. Wells, do you really think it's appropriate to socialize with your employees?" Donna asked, shutting down the light conversation and bringing all eyes to her. There was a long drawn out silence as Harrison eyed the woman. Sighing, he looked down at his surf shop shirt, and slowly raised his gaze to the woman who had questioned him.

"I'm sorry, but Doctor Wells isn't here right now. If you'd like to leave a message, I'll see that he gets it tomorrow morning at work. Beep!" He delivered the declaration in an accent similar to Tina's with bright look on his face. Glowering at Donna when he was done, he then stood and went to the grocery bag he'd brought with him.

"Well said," Tina cheered him on when he returned with what looked like some sort of box in hand. "Work stays at work. You've already heard the rules once. If you can't abide by them, you can leave." She gave Donna a stern look and then sipped at her drink. Making a face, Tina then swapped her cup with Harrison's who was pulling plastic off the box he'd gone to get.

"I picked this up today. It's called Chez Dork. Wanna try it?" Holding up the game for all to see, Harrison then passed it to Cisco who looked it over.

"I've played that before," Ted piped up, glancing at his girlfriend. "My kid sister and her friends love it. Not a bad play, to be honest."

"I'm not sure I want to play something with Dork in the title," Donna said haughtily. She was clearly trying to be the center of attention.

"I'm all for it," Caitlin supplied, looking to Tina.

"As am I," Tina agreed.

"Donna, looks like you're outvoted," Ted informed his date. "I'll explain the rules." Taking the deck of cards, he started detailing the rules and how the game was played. While she listened, Caitlin let her gaze drift to her boss and his date. She'd known he was seeing someone. Of course, she had assumed that Chris was a male. Knowing who Chris was didn't make it any easier on Caitlin. Seeing the two together, though, did. Tina McGee managed to bring a smile to Dr. Wells's face that his employees had rarely seen. The two leaned in and whispered and occasionally sent knowing looks to Cisco and Caitlin.

As the night wore on, Caitlin found herself less jealous of Tina McGee. The other woman clearly cared deeply for Dr. Wells, blocking his attempts to eat foods he was apparently allergic to and offering him alternatives. Meanwhile, Cisco was slowly starting to warm up to Ted, who was a much nicer guy than the young engineer had imagined. The only person who seemed to remain distant throughout the night was Donna. It seemed the more the night continued, the angrier the woman became. It was clear that she'd not expected a group of people at Cisco's apartment. The presence of their boss and his insistence that work be left out of the night irritated Donna even more. Oddly enough, it seemed the more distaste she showed towards him, the happier Dr. Wells became.

It was nearly ten at night when Dr. Wells finally managed to royally piss Donna off. She'd just suggested that Cisco was showing Caitlin favouritism because they were dating. Before Cisco or Caitlin could rebuke the other woman, Dr. Wells interjected. "Aw lay off it, Donna. You've been picking on Cisco all night. He's been a great sport about it while you've just been a real bitch!"

"Why, I never," Donna declared, sputtering.

"Never learned your manners," Harrison finished for her. "Donna, if you can't be nice, why don't you just leave! We never asked you to come here tonight!" Huffing in surprise, Donna looked to Ted.

"Don't look at me," Ted declared. "The man is right. I was all set to take you out ice skating. You were the one who wanted to show me your pathetic ex. If you want to go, go. I'm having fun." He waved towards the door and then picked his drink up. After taking a sip, her surveyed the table. "Is it my turn?"

"Oh, you jerk!" Angrily, Donna stood, chucked the remnants of her drink at the man, and started to storm out.

"Don't worry about it," Harrison declared before the woman was gone. "I'll buy you a new shirt. You can wear this one home." Hearing this, the irritating woman growled angrily and looked back. To her annoyance, Harrison was indeed removing his green dress shirt and handing it over to Ted. Seeing her boyfriend take the offered item of clothing with a grin, apparently Harrison had expensive taste in dress clothes, Donna huffed, stomped across the living room, tore the door open, stormed out, and slammed the door.

"About damn time," Tina muttered. There was a pregnant pause. "So, why were you ever dating her?" Her gaze flitted between Cisco and Ted.

"Go easy on him," Cisco suggested. "I made the same mistake."

"Did she start out nice and then turn vicious on you too?" Ted asked.

"Oh no, she was sweet right until she tore my heart out on Valentine's day," Cisco supplied. Ted frowned, pushing his blond hair behind an ear and locking green eyes on Donna's ex.

"Are you telling me that she dumped you?" At Ted's question, Cisco just nodded. "Damnit. I'm sorry man. She told me you guys broke up a week before Valentine's day!" His expressive green eyes conveyed the sincerity of his apology.

"Why am I not surprised?" Caitlin asked, looking up and around the table. She was amused to see that Dr. Wells was leaning heavily against Dr. McGee. Seeing Caitlin's gaze, Tina grinned.

"Don't mind Harrison. He's experiencing a sugar crash," Tina told the group. A soft snore sounded from the head on her shoulder, and Tina shrugged. "Okay, so he's crashed and burned. I'll wake him in ten minutes."

"Guess we should be calling it a night," Ted agreed. "I have to work in the morning." He stood, gathering his plate and cup. "Want some help cleaning up?"

"That'd be great," Cisco agreed. He stood as did Caitlin.

"Harrison, wake up. Time to clean up and go home," Tina said, stroking her date's face. Blinking tired blue eyes, Harrison slowly sat up, straightening his glasses.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Time to go?"

"Yes, luv. Time to go," Tina agreed. "Here, take your things to the rubbish bin." She collected his plate and cup and together they stood and went to the trash can.

"Cisco, Harrison, Tina, Caitlin, it was nice meeting you all," Ted said once they had cleaned up and put everything away. "I'm sorry about the circumstances." He shook everyone's hands.

"Man, don't worry about. Just be glad you learned the truth about Donna sooner rather than later," Cisco suggested.

"Yeah. I am. You guys are really cute couples by the way. Glad you found somebody new," Ted said, before turning and heading out the door. As it shut behind him, a silence drifted up and filled the room.

"Okay," Harrison said, breaking the spell. "Guess that's our cue to exit. Cisco, next time you get cornered by an ex, don't forget you have friends, or are on speaker phone." He gave his employee a pointed look before throwing an arm around Tina's shoulders. "G'night."

"Yes. It was lovely meeting you all. We should do it again sometime," Tina said nodding goodbye as Harrison led her out the door.

"And then there were two," Caitlin said softly. Sighing, she sank down into the couch and stared at her hands.

"You okay?" Cisco asked, coming to sit next to her. "That can't have been easy. Watching the guy you like with his girlfriend all night."

"No, but it's nice to know he's with somebody who really cares about him," Caitlin said with a shrug. After a moment, she turned and snuggled against Cisco's side. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Well, we don't have to work tomorrow," Cisco agreed. "And I myself could do with a little relaxation. As much fun as Harrison, Tina, and Ted are, having Donna here had me on edge for a good chunk of the night."

"So, Back to the Future?" Caitlin looked up into his dark eyes and they both grinned. Nodding, Cisco pulled out his phone and used it as the remote for the television.

"Definitely," Cisco agreed as the movie started up. He pulled a blanket over them and they snuggled together as they watched. "Hey, Caitlin," Cisco began. She hummed in response. "Thank you for being my best friend and being here tonight."

"Just be happy Dr. Wells overheard your conversation with Donna," Caitlin countered. "And, thank you for being my best friend and being here tonight." Dropping a kiss to her head, Cisco nodded.

"Yeah. No problem. Chris was not what I expected," he mused, glancing down at Caitlin. Lifting her gaze to his, a smile ghosted across her face.

"Yeah, but did you see how perfect they are for each other? He knew how to fix her drink, she knew which foods he could and couldn't have."

"And they constantly had contact with each other," Cisco agreed. "They are a pretty cool couple. I'm glad Dr. Wells is our friend.

"Me too," Caitlin mused. "Even if I do still have a crush on him." They fell silent, watching the movie. At least they still had each other.


	6. Chapter 6: Lab Weekend

_**I know, I know. I'm late on posting this. This story takes place at the end of May 2014. The next chapter will follow shortly after this one and is set in early June 2014. I will try to get it posted as soon as I can. As always, reviews are welcomed. I'm also taking suggestions and requests, but know that I'm working with time limits. I'm also picky about who I share stuff with ahead of time and have problems waiting for betas to get back to me. That means all errors are my own. I tried but sorry for any glaring offenses to the English language. Trying to post more as I can. Thanks! -Troll**_

 **Chapter 6: Lab Weekend**

Beautiful. It was the only word Caitlin could think to describe the day. After nearly a week of rain the sun was out and shining brightly. It wasn't hot yet, which would be nice as they walked. "Oh man," next to her, Cisco groaned. "Why did we have to get up so freakin' early?" Glowering up at the sun, he huffed as he plodded along next to Caitlin.

"The walk starts at 8:30 and check in is at 8," answered Caitlin. "At least it's a beautiful day." another groan sounded from her best friend.

"Yeah, a great day to go mucking through the forest," complained Cisco.

"Why don't you go get some food and a drink. I'll check us in and meet you at the breakfast tent," suggested Caitlin.

"Caity!" A cheerful voice called out ahead of them, earning another grumble from Cisco. A familiar blond was waving at them from the check-in tent. "Cisco! So glad you guys could make it!"

"Go get food,"Caitlin ordered Cisco. "I'll talk to Ted." Pushing her best friend towards the food, Caitlin then waved at Ted. While their initial meeting had been a bit strained, the blond man had quickly become friends with Cisco and by extension, Caitlin. Ted was the reason Cisco and Caitlin were out so early that morning.

"Caity, thank you so much for doing this," Ted said as he crushed the female doctor in a tight hug. "Where's Harrison? I wanted to thank him. The money that S.T.A.R. labs raised for the walk is impressive."

"I'm not sure he could make it. I know when he announced the lab was putting up a team he wasn't certain if he'd be here. I think he said he had some sort of other commitment," Caitlin supplied. Slipping an arm around her shoulders, Ted smiled and started guiding her towards the check-in table.

"Well, I really appreciate the lab putting together a team for my niece," he said. "Cisco looks really tired."

"You know Cisco." Shrugging, Caitlin got herself and Cisco signed in and then headed over to the breakfast table, Ted's arm still around her. At the table, they met up with the sleepy engineer. "Better?" Caitlin asked, looking her best friend up and down.

"Little bit," Cisco mumbled.

"Look, I'm glad you guys made it," Ted said again, picking up the food for his friends. He led them over towards a picnic table that wasn't in use. "Usually the teams get together first and get pictures. Then there's a little talk about what Cystic Fibrosis is and how much money was raised. Then the walk will start and when you finish you can get lunch."

"How long is this walk again?" Cisco demanded.

"Just 5k." Caitlin shrugged as she answered and tore a piece from the bagel she'd grabbed from the breakfast table. Her shrug earned her a glare from Cisco. "Look, you do the walk, have lunch, and then go home and sleep all day," Caitlin told Cisco. She then changed the subject in the hopes he would stop complaining. "I know Cystic Fibrosis has a large range of symptoms. How badly is your niece affected?"

"So far her case seems pretty mild," Ted answered. He glanced over at a woman and little girl. Smiling at the two he waved them over. "Her she is now." Standing, he went and picked the little girl up and hugged the woman. "Dr. Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon, this is my sister-in-law Jewel and my niece Summer."

"Hi," Jewel smiled and offered her hand to first Cisco and then Caitlin. "Thank you so much for doing this," she said, sitting.

"Happy to," Cisco said, perking up. He knew that Ted's brother, Jewel's husband, had died two years ago. That meant he was allowed to notice how pretty the woman was. His response earned him an unseen eye roll from Caitlin.

Jewel returned a sad smile and stood. "I need to go get us checked in and find the rest of our team. My boss, Dr. McGee, made me team leader because she was flying out to England today."

"Christina McGee?" Cisco couldn't stop himself. Smiling but confused, Jewel nodded. "Small world," Cisco mumbled, shooting a glance at Caitlin.

"Wait, isn't that the woman Harrison brought as a date to the game night?" Ted asked the question without seeing the look on Caitlin's face. The blond was unaware of the fact that Caitlin was still dealing with her crush of Harrison Wells.

"Harrison?" Jewel looked confused.

"Our boss, Harrison Wells," Cisco clarified. "He and Tina came one night for game night. We try to have it once a month. Neither could make it this month." The engineer sent a meaningful look Ted's way.

"Weird. Small world indeed. Well, we need to check in and get ready. See you on the walk." Flashing a smile, Jewel took the little girl by the hand and vanished into the growing crowd.

"What is that all about?" Demanded Ted as he rounded on the two S.T.A.R lab employees.

"Dude, Caitlin is crushing on Dr. Wells, who isn't here because he's apparently gone to England with Dr. McGee!" Cisco glowered at his friend.

"Now we know why he took next week off," Caitlin mumbled. Seeing her slumped shoulders, Cisco wrapped an arm around her gave her his best hug.

"I'm so sorry, Cait," offered Ted. He patted her gently on the shoulder and stood. "I have to go help get things started. Nodding, Caitlin and Cisco watched him walk away. Silently the two sat, waiting for the event to get going. Eventually the S.T.A.R. labs group gathered and took the team photo, minus Dr. Wells of course. After a number of speeches, the walk was started.

It was a beautiful day for walking. The fact that they had helped raise money for a very good cause buoyed up Caitlin's spirits. She and Cisco ended up towards the back of the group as they set out on the 5k through the nature park. After a few minutes, Ted ended up joining them, grinning as he slipped a pair of sunglasses over his green eyes. The trio walked silently, their feet "squishing" from time to time as they hit soaked patches of path. The world around them was full of life with lush green trees and bushes pressing into the trail. Along the path, a lazy little stream gurgled away and Caitlin felt the last of her stress over Dr. Wells bleed away, carried off in the breeze.

"Damn bee," Cisco grumbled suddenly, weaving over and into Caitlin.

"Cisco," Caitlin complained. "Stop it."

"Bee!" Shouting, the young engineer waved his hands wildly around his head and suddenly took off into the wooded area. "Leave me alone!" Cisco screamed as he vanished into the lush greenery.

"Cisco!" Caitlin and Ted started to follow after the terrified engineer.

"Go back to the path. I'll get him," Ted said, catching Caitlin by the elbow.

"Thanks," the doctor said, watching for a moment as the trees swayed from Cisco's crazy trek.

"We'll catch up! You go ahead," Ted called out, vanishing into the vegetation as he followed the sounds of Cisco's shouts at the bees.

"Good luck," Caitlin mumbled to herself. She let out a dejected sigh, and turned to head back to the trail. Unfortunately, she didn't make it very far. Several feet away from the path the ground seemed to give out beneath her feet.

There was a sucking noise and before Caitlin had time to cry for help she was falling. Pain shot through her body as her feet crashed into solid ground and then she was tumbling in an uncontrolled front roll. She cried out as her body smashed into rock and roots until suddenly there was a flash of light and she landed painfully in a muddy bank by the river.

Though her fall had stopped, the pain didn't. Her feet and legs felt like they were on fire bringing tears to her eyes and tugging whimpers of pain from her lips. Wiping mud from her face as best she could, she tried to pull herself together. "Help!" She called out, hoping somebody was nearby who would hear her. "Can anybody hear me?" Birds cried out and a cricket taunted her from somewhere. More tears started to well up, filling her eyes before cascading down her cheeks. Letting some sobs loose, she started probing her ankles, trying to determine if they were broken or just sprained. It was hard to say. Merely touching them sent pain shooting through her body and made her feel sick to her stomach. With slow little movements, she managed to get into a more comfortable position. Still, the tears fell.

Perhaps five minutes had passed with Caitlin trying to figure out if she had broken limbs when an ominous sound rumbled overhead. Wiping at the tears, Caitlin watched in gut wrenching dread as clouds filled the sky, lightening dancing within them. In a matter of minutes it was pouring rain. The only good news was that she'd pulled herself away from the mouth of the natural slide she'd fallen down, which was now pouring water. "Help! Please!" Caitlin called out once more, desperately hoping that somebody from the walk would be able to hear her. "Hello!" A large part of her had already lost hope. Nobody was coming. They'd been at the back of the pack of walkers.

"Hello?" The voice sounded distant and confused. It was music to Caitlin's ears.

"Down here!" She joyfully called out. "I fell down a hole! I'm by the stream now!"

"Keep talking, I'll try to follow your voice," the other voice called out.

"Be careful. The hole is pretty well hidden," Caitlin cried out. It would be horrible if her rescuer ended up in the same condition as her. A shout sounded and the mud covered woman turned her attention to the mouth of the hole she'd been dumped out of. To her surprise, her rescuer sounded joyful, as though he or she was enjoying the ride.

The rain must have made things faster; a body blurred past Caitlin to be dumped into the steadily growing stream. There was some thrashing and then a muddy figure was climbing out of the stream onto the bank next to Caitlin. Even beneath all the mud, Caitlin was shocked to recognize her boss, his blue eyes dancing and a smile on his face.

"Mud monster!" Harrison Wells shouted as he stumbled to his feet. His mirth was cut short as his gaze fell on the haggard looking Caitlin Snow. "Dr. Snow!" Despite the mud, the female doctor recognized the concern that suddenly filled his face.

"Caitlin," she softly reminded him. "We aren't at work. Why aren't you in England with Tina?"

"I was just dropping Chris at the airport," Harrison replied, distractedly studying the mud covered woman. "Are you hurt?" Without waiting for an answer he knelt next to her and started checking her for injuries, starting at her head. The rain continued to pound down around them. Harrison didn't seem to notice or care. He was completely focused on Caitlin.

"My feet. I don't know if I broke or just sprained my ankles," Caitlin told him, holding still as his fingers expertly probed for injuries. His touch was both firm yet gentle. His hands were wonderfully warm under the cold onslaught of rain. His intense gaze was focused entirely on her.

"Okay. I can't tell either. The swelling is already too bad. We can't stay here though, not with this rain. I'm going to splint them the best I can and then we're going to get out of here and go for help," Harrison declared, already looking around.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Caitlin was happy to have a plan, but didn't feel very optimistic about it.

"We'll figure it out. I'm not about to let myself get swept downstream again," Harrison answered. As he spoke, he found some sticks and broke them up so that he could use them to splint her feet. Next he tore small strips off of his shirt. Beneath all the mud, it looked like it had just been a plain white sleeveless shirt. The jeans he wore had holes at the knees. In a way his casual clothing almost made him look like a different man, or perhaps it was the mud.

"What do you mean again?" Caitlin asked, trying to ignore the pain and fear trying to take over her mind.

"Oh, my second date with my wife, Tess. We went for a picnic hike and got caught in a storm. I ended up getting swept up in a drainage ditch and Tess had to save me," he explained as he finished binding her ankles. "Now, you can't walk on these. How do you feel about a piggy back ride?"

"What?" Caitlin was certain she wasn't hearing right. Her boss wasn't offering to carry her on his back. Right?

"You can't walk. Those have to hurt like hell. Seems to me that the only way we are getting out of here is if we hike out with you on my back." As he spoke, Harrison looked around, pulling his glasses off and tucking them into a pocket. They were useless in the pouring rain.

"Alright. Are you sure you can carry me?" Caitlin wasn't sure how she felt about the idea of being wrapped around her boss.

"Not much of a choice, really," he replied. He wiped some rain from his face and glanced at the growing stream. "We don't have a lot of time to debate this. That is quickly becoming a river and this rain isn't letting up." He stood to look around and then crouched next to her once more. "Caitlin, I know we aren't the closest people in the world and that I make you very uncomfortable for some reason, but right now we need to put aside our emotions and get out of here." Though he spoke softly and gently there was an urgency behind his words. Gazing up at him, his dark hair was matted to his head, mud caked his face and clung randomly everywhere, Caitlin decided he didn't look like he had anything but their safety on his mind.

"Right. I'm not sure I'll be able to hold on for very long," Caitlin admitted, pushing her feelings for him aside. Frowning, Harrison ran a hand through his hair, depositing a smear of mud in it.

"No problem," he finally decided. Without elaborating he pulled his already torn shirt up and off, ignoring the rain that pelted down on his now naked torso. "I can McGuyver some kind of sling from my shirt," he explained when he realized she was staring at him. He had no idea it was because she was admiring his muscular upper body. Ignoring her gaze, he started tearing the side seams on the shirt, leaving the shoulders stitched so that he had a long, thick length of fabric.

After a moment he stood staring down at her. "Now," he sighed, letting a hot breath of air out. The temperature had dropped enough that Caitlin could see it. "Let's get you on my back. If I kneel facing away from you can you climb on?" He wasn't certain how much she could do on her own. By now, the stream was starting to lap at their little mud bank and his feet were starting to sink. They needed to move. Fast. He'd call for help, but after his little dump into the stream he knew his phone was dead.

"I think so," Caitlin agreed, feeling water seeping into her underwear to freeze her butt. She watched him turn and kneel, presenting a beautifully muscled back. As she struggled to move without irritating her injuries, she kept her gaze fixed on his tan skin, surprised to realize that she saw the ink of a tattoo peeking out from under his left arm, on the side of his ribcage. Without thinking, she reached out and brushed her hand against the sand dollar permanently drawn into his skin. The skin was raised and the ink dark and fresh. A giggle erupted from Harrison, shaking his whole body and making her smile.

"Woman, stop tickling me and get on my damn back!" He didn't sound irritated, mostly just confused.

"Sorry," Caitlin said as she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders. "I was distracted by your tattoo." Instead of answering her, he just hummed and wrapped his arms around her legs as he stood slowly and carefully. An "eep" escaped her lips and she clung more tightly to him. Her legs tightened on his hips and she found her upper body pressed tightly against his back. Still, he didn't speak as he shifted around, slinging the remnants of the shirt around and using it to cradle her and pull her closer.

"I don't know how long this will hold," he began as he tied the ends of the shirt around his waist. "So try to hold on as much as you can. The less weight we put on it, the longer it will last." She nodded, her wet hair brushing against his back. It didn't tickle, but at least it told him she was listening. "Ready to move out?" This time Caitlin grunted the answer, so he started moving, trying to step as carefully and smoothly as he could.

Each step he took sent pain shooting up her legs from her ankles. She bit her lip to hold in her cries of pain. Oddly enough, he stopped and leaned his head back some so that their cheeks touched. "You doing okay?" He wanted to look at her; to study her face and see if he could read the pain he guessed was causing her to tense up with each jolting step.

"Hurts," she managed to whimper out. Sighing in frustration, he nodded his understanding and started moving again, trying to go slow but still cover as much ground as possible. They couldn't go back up the way they'd come, the banks were too steep. That meant he had to follow the stream until he came to a spot he thought he could manage to climb with her on his back. They both fell silent, Caitlin trying to focus on anything but her pain. Harrison focused on simply taking the next step and searched the area around them for an easy exit point.

"I need you stop," Caitlin begged after five painful minutes. Nodding, he halted immediately, his breath coming more harshly than before. He was winded. It was rough hiking along the muddy banks with an injured woman on his back. Silently, he waited as she shifted and a moment later he felt her breasts rest against his back once more. "Okay. Go ahead."

"Right." Taking a deep breath, he started out once more, pausing to pick up a stick poking out from one of the bushes guarding the embankments. It was just long enough and sturdy enough, that he was able to use it as a walking stick. The hike didn't get any easier though, as the mud turned into sludge and water started to cover his feet. Each step became a battle to free his foot from the slurping muck he was trudging through. At one point, his shoe lost the battle and he his balance, almost dropping them down into the inch of water.

"Crap," he hissed as he regained his balance and put his near numb foot down in the water. His shoe was gone. Knowing that he had no choice, he kept going. Glancing back the way they had come, he watched for a moment. No shoe popped up, but he wasn't about to try searching for it in the muck.

"We need to find a way back up and to the trail," Caitlin observed worriedly, voicing the same thoughts Harrison had running through his head. "Are you okay?" It couldn't be easy, trudging along with her on his back. She could feel his muscles starting to tremble, and he had stumbled several times in the last few minutes. The water was starting to cover his ankles and was rushing around him. How long could he keep going?

Harrison managed a few more painful, miserable minutes before he came to a conclusion. They were going to have climb out of there. It was clear that the stream became much larger when there were storms so that the banks were steep. Harrison was tall enough that he could stand on his tiptoes and maybe reach the top of the embankment. He started watching for a good place where he could help Caitlin climb out. After a few minutes he spotted a huge old tree with some of its roots exposed because it was right at the edge of the steep climb out.

Stopping next to the tree, Harrison looked up. "Alright, Caitlin," he began. "We need to get out of here and now. I can't keep walking through this water. It's almost up to my knees. I need you to grab a sturdy root and hold on while I turn. I'll help you get up high enough, then climb up and lift you the rest of the way. Okay?" He felt a weak nod against his shoulder and shifted, lifting her as high up as he could.

Any other day, and Caitlin might enjoy the feel of his strong hands on her body. The way he tried to be firm but gentle might have made her heart flutter. Not today. Today she was cold, wet, and in pain. His efforts to help made the pain worse, but she was trying not to yell at him. As he lifted her, she realized that he almost had her over his head. Was he a dancer? Deciding that now was a stupid time to wonder about her boss's pastime pleasures, she looked up and grabbed the sturdiest root she could find.

"Okay, I think I'm good," she informed him as she felt another limb of the tree taking her weight as she perched on it. Harrison must have shifted her butt onto it and she hadn't even noticed his hands.

"Are you sure?" His voice sounded strained and Caitlin realized that he was still taking some of her weight. Strengthening her grip, she tried to lift herself away from him some.

"Sure. Go." She watched as he sloshed through the water and dashed up the embankment, his feet and hands finding holds she'd never have spotted. Was he a rock climber? It didn't take him long to reach the ground above them. In a matter of seconds he was reaching down and lifting her up and into his arms.

Now safely away from the water, they both took a moment to gaze down at the rushing stream below. "Wow," Caitlin breathed, realizing that Harrison had made the right decision just in time. There was no visible ground below them. Where they had been standing only moments ago was now flowing water. "Nice timing."

"Thanks. Nice job with climbing those roots," he said, flashing a tired smile at her, forgetting that he was holding her cradled in his arms. She smiled back, gazing into his tired blue eyes and letting herself forget, just for a moment, that he was dating Tina McGee.

Blinking suddenly, Caitlin broke the spell. "We should keep going," she lectured him.

"Yeah." With some weight shifting and contortioning of his body, they managed to get her back onto his back and settled into the sling again. While Caitlin held tightly to his slippery arms, Harrison surveyed their surroundings, getting his bearings before heading off in what he hoped was the right direction.

Silence set in until Caitlin felt like she needed to speak just so that she was certain she was awake. "I really appreciate you coming to my rescue," she said, huffing a little as she was jostled by a step. For some reason he wasn't walking as smoothly as before. She didn't realize he had lost a shoe so one foot was clad only in a sopping wet sock.

"Come on, I had to," Harrison countered. "What was I going to do? Leave you down there and lose my best scientist? Besides, that was an awesome mud slide!" There was a touch of glee to his voice, suggesting to Caitlin that he had indeed been shouting with joy as he'd slid down the mud hole. "They could market that thing on sunny days!"

"Yeah, well it isn't as much fun when the ground just drops out from under you and you crash land on your feet," grumbled Caitlin.

"I suppose not," Harrison sighed. Pausing, he shook his head to clear some of the rain from his face. It earned a squeal of irritation from Caitlin, who was pelted with the cast off. "Sorry." He apologized distractedly, as if his mind was somewhere else. "Does that look like a building up ahead?" He nodded in the general direction he meant.

Squinting through the rain, Caitlin could make out what might have been a brown building. As they drew closer, the outline cleared up and a little "whoop" of joy sounded from her boss. It was a building. With each step, Harrison picked up his pace until he was practically running, Caitlin trying hard not to cry out in pain. Instead, she tried to relax and pretend she was just riding one of the horses she'd loved to spend time with at camp as a child and teen. It helped some, though a little voice in her head reminded her that the horses at camp hadn't been nearly as attractive as Harrison.

"Is that one of the bath houses?" Caitlin asked, trying to shift her attention away from her pain. She wondered why Harrison's gait seemed a bit off. His trot towards the building was extremely uneven and bumpy.

"Can't tell from here. I'm not wearing my glasses," Harrison responded, wobbling a little on numb feet. Ignoring the chilled nubs that were his feet, he kept going. "You know, this had started out as a beautiful day," he complained. "Sunny and warm. Now it's pouring rain and freezing cold. My feet are numb and I can barely see through the rain."

"You're feet are probably numb from walking through the water. I'm a little cold but not too bad," lectured Caitlin. "I can make out a sign. It's bathrooms."

"Right." With a nod of his head, Harrison started towards the men's room.

"What are you doing?" At Caitlin's shriek, her ride pulled up short, reacting to her tightened grip on his shoulders.

"Going into the bathroom so we can get cleaned up and wait out this storm," Harrison explained. "Could you loosen your grip please? I think you're starting to draw blood."

Realizing that her fingernails were digging into his bare skin, Caitlin did loosen her grasp. To make sure he could hear her, she tucked her head next to his so that their cheeks were touching. "I am not going into the men's room," she assured him.

Rolling his eyes, Harrison suppressed a groan and simply turned and headed to the women's bathroom. At the door, he pushed it open just enough to shout in, "Maintenance, anyone in here?" when no reply came he opened the door all the way and went inside. He didn't care which side they went into so far as they were out of the rain, there was running water, and paper towels.

Once inside, they could hear the rain pounding down on the roof and thunder rumbling overhead. They were lucky no lightning had struck near them. As sopping wet as they were, neither would have stood much of a chance. There was a bench along the far wall, sinks to their left, and stalls to the right. Needing to relieve his burden, Harrison headed for the far wall, carefully lowering Caitlin to the bench. More thunder rumbled and the lights flickered. Lifting an eyebrow, Harrison cocked his head and looked up.

"I'm going to wet some paper towels so we can get you cleaned up some. Maybe without all the mud in the way we can get a better look at your ankles," Harrison suggested, moving to the sink.

Caitlin watched him turn the water on, her gaze sweeping his soaked form. His jeans clung to his legs and mud and blood were smeared across his arms. It looked like he'd picked up some scratches from the local plant life. As her gaze swept down, Caitlin realized that he was standing lopsided, his right shoe gone. A mud covered sock remained, with water running from where he stood across the floor to a drain in the middle of the floor. Frowning, Caitlin noticed that the water was discoloured, and not just brown. "What happened to your shoe?" She asked the question as he walked back over to her, a handful of wet paper towels in one hand.

"Lost it to the stream," he explained. Sitting down next to her, he gently started wiping the mud on her face away, managing a smile as she took one of the towels he held and started cleaning up his face. It was, Caitlin thought, an extremely intimate moment. She could easily lean forwards and let her lips brush his.

A scream filled the bathroom, pulling them both from their thoughts. Glancing towards the sound of the screams, which also happened to be the entrance, they were both surprised. A little girl stood there screaming, shaking her brown head of hair dramatically before racing from the doorway. With a groan, Harrison dropped his head. He took a minute to ponder his bad luck before he returned to cleaning Caitlin up.

"Was it me or did that scream sound a little fake?" Caitlin asked after a moment of silence.

"The theatrics were a bit overdone as well," Harrison mused, losing himself to the task of caring for his employee and only half paying attention to the rest of the world.

"Oh no," Caitlin sighed as a new sound reached her ears. "Sounds like she's going to make our lives difficult." Mumbling a response, Harrison didn't look up as he wiped mud away from Caitlin's left foot, which was cradled gently in his lap.

"There he is, Daddy!" The little girl had returned and was screeching at a shocked and confused Harrison. "I told you there was a man in here trying to get me!" Making a sour face, the girl, perhaps 10 years old, then turned to a short man with blond hair. "Make him go away!" When she turned to her father the nasty look vanished to be replaced with what the girl probably felt was her innocent face.

"I'll protect you sugar!" Glowering at Harrison, the man leveled a gun at the mud covered scientists and stalked farther into the bathrooms.

"Ah crap," Caitlin heard Harrison mutter as he gently lowered her foot to his lap and then raised his hands into the air.

"What the hell are you doing?" Demanded the angry gunman.

"First aid," was Harrison's oddly calm response. There was something about the way the male scientist sat and spoke that made Caitlin think he wasn't intimidated or scared at all.

"Get away from her! This is the woman's bathroom!" Behind the gunman, the girl stuck her tongue out and made faces.

"I am aware that this is the female restroom. That is why I called out and made sure it was empty before entering. Caity and I were just trying to get out of the rain and cleaned up," Harrison explained. A crash of thunder boomed overhead and the lights cut out; the emergency lights coming on a moment later.

"Yeah, right. I bet you jumped her!" Rolling her eyes, Caitlin wondered if the man would ever think to ask her what was happening.

"Oh yes, because I have a thing for podiatry," Harrison snarked. It made Caitlin smile.

"Look, we're here for the CF walk. I fell down a hole and Harrison came to my rescue," Caitlin informed the man.

"A likely story!" Still brandishing his gun, the man started to stalk forwards. The sound of another gun cocking stopped him in his tracks.

"A very likely story," said a man stepping into view. He was dressed in a ranger uniform and had apparently entered when the power had gone out. "I'm Ranger Smith. Drop your weapon and back out of the building." The ranger was an older man, maybe 60, with white hair poking out from under his hat and blue eyes narrowed as he glared at the other man.

"He's in the ladies room!" The father protested. Smith's gaze and gun remained leveled on the man.

"So are you. So am I. Now, lower your weapon to the floor and back out of the building." Eyes still fixed on the other man, Smith spoke into his radio, "H.M." He paused, waiting.

"Go ahead, Smith," the radio crackled.

"I'm at the northwest bathrooms. Call for the police and an ambulance. Think I found our missing CF walkers."

"Right away. You need help?"

"I wouldn't mind a bit of backup, but make sure that hole is well marked first. We don't want anyone else to fall down it." As the ranger spoke, Caitlin glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly one. She hadn't realized how much time had passed. Had Cisco and Ted reported her missing?

"Yes sir. H.M. out." As the radio fell silent the father lowered his gun, let it rest on the floor and started backing up.

"Folks, I'll be right back," Smith informed Caitlin and Harrison as he followed the father and daughter out.

"Well," Harrison said after a moment of silence. "That was fun. I guess Cisco reported you missing."

"Actually, the walk coordinator went to thank you and noticed that you hadn't reported in for lunch. After some insanity last year, I required that they have everyone check out with them when they were done," Ranger Smith answered, coming back inside.

"Whatever happened, I'm glad you found us," Caitlin declared.

"I was worried when we found that hole. I had managed to follow your trail when I spotted that fellow rushing in here with a gun. Are you badly hurt?"

"I did a number on both my ankles," Caitlin answered.

"And you Dr. Wells? I noticed you were bleeding."

"Just scratches," Harrison replied, frowning at his scraped arms and torso.

"How about your foot?" Smith nodded at Harrison's shoeless foot. Frowning, the scientist looked down, wiggling his toes and cringing.

"What the hell?" Harrison hadn't been expecting the pain, perhaps because his foot been numbed by the cold stream.

"You two folks took a rough hike. I figured you tore your foot up doing it."

"Yeah." Not really paying attention to the world, Harrison continued to gaze at his injured foot.

"I thought the water looked discoloured," Caitlin informed him. "You're bleeding."

"Well, ambulance is on the way. I'll follow it to the hospital. Unfortunately we have all sorts of fun incident reports to fill out and you two to sign. Pardon." His radio crackled and Smith stepped out.

"Does it hurt much?" Caitlin was trying, and failing to read the look on Harrison's face.

"Hmm?" Arching an eyebrow, Harrison looked up, dragged from his thoughts by Caitlin's question. "No. No big deal."

Silence fell and Caitlin continued to study him. She had seen him topless before. Why hadn't she noticed the tattoo then? Memories of his bare torso popped intermittently in her mind. None of them included the tattoo. "I never noticed the tattoo before." His silence worried her. He could be going into shock.

Glancing at her sideways, Harrison shrugged an answer before directing his gaze back to the door as Ranger Smith entered once more. "Alright folks. Ranger Murdock has arrived and secured our gun happy friend. An ambulance has been dispatched, but it won't be able to get out here. My vehicle is a short walk from here. Can I help you two out to it?"

"Out to the SUV?" Smith looked back and forth between the two, trying to decide which would need more help. Caitlin asked the question distractedly, her eyes locked on Harrison.

"I'm fine, but Dr. Snow needs help," Harrison said, his voice and words distancing him even farther from Caitlin.

"Certainly. Can you assist?" Smith studied Harrison carefully as if picking up on the oddness of Harrison's voice. Nodding, Harrison carefully lowered Caitlin's foot and followed Smith's orders so that they made a living chair around Caitlin, lifting her up and then out of the bathrooms. In the SUV Harrison remained silent. Once they reached the ambulance, Caitlin was loaded up and whisked away, her adventure with Harrison Wells ending on a rather quiet note.

 ** _Okay! I know that seems like a painful place to stop, but the next chapter should be up soon. I'm working on it now. That said, the Cystic Fibrosis walk is real as is the genetic disease Cystic Fibrosis. If you want to learn more about it, try looking into the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Thanks for reading! -Troll_**


	7. Chapter 7: Recovery - Part 1

_**Okay folks, I know I was trying to do a chapter a month. I have utterly failed at that. This latest chapter decided to be nearly 30 pages long and I'm still working on it. Thanks to my zombie-beta, DoctorHarrisonWells, I have decided to start posting the chapter piece by piece. So, here is the first part of Chapter 7! No live beta so all mistakes are my own and please forgive. Doing the best I can with limited time and such. Big thanks to all those out there who have reviewed and pm'd me. I appreciate the encouragement. For now, I'll just keep writing and posting when I can!**_

 **Chapter 7: Recovery**

 **Part 1: The Phone Call**

The refrigerator hummed as Caitlin pulled a carton of milk out and set it on the counter. She tried to ignore the little twinge of pain as she shifted her weight on her sore ankle. It had been a rough weekend, resulting in her breaking one ankle and hurting the other. Due to the double injury, her doctor had ordered her to take the entire week off. While Cisco had crashed in her spare room Saturday night and spent most of Sunday with her, she'd been on her own Monday. Now, mid-way through Tuesday, she was growing frustrated with being cooped up in the apartment and trying to stay off her feet. She'd tried contacting Dr. Wells, but he'd not answered any of her calls or texts. After their time together Saturday, she'd begun to worry about him a great deal. Usually she'd figure that Dr. McGee was with the older man, but Caitlin knew for a fact that the other woman was in England.

After their adventure together, Dr. Wells had seemed to shut down emotionally. He'd been open and friendly through their entire ordeal, but when they had finally been found and somebody else was responsible for their well being, the man had shut down, closing himself off. Caitlin hadn't been able to dwell on it much, since she'd been on the way to the hospital. Now, stuck at home with nothing else to do, she didn't seem able to do anything but worry.

Caitlin was deep in thoughts of concern about her boss when her phone rang. Frowning, she picked it up and glanced at the screen. The caller was blocked. Usually, she didn't answer if she didn't know who it was, but for some reason she opted to break her rule. "Hello?"

"Caitlin?" The clipped voice was vaguely familiar but Caitlin couldn't place it immediately.

"Speaking. Who is this?" Caitlin tried to place the voice as she leaned on her crutches and glowered at the chair she couldn't get to at the moment.

"Oh, Caitlin, thank goodness," the voice sounded tense, like the woman had spent the last several hours worried. "This is Tina McGee, Harrison introduced us." As soon as the older woman identified herself, Caitlin recognised the voice.

"Dr. McGee. I remember. Honestly, I've followed your career for some time now," Caitlin answered. "I didn't know you have my number."

"I don't," Tina replied. "I called Harrison's secretary and got it from her. I need a huge favour from you."

"From me? Uhm, okay," Caitlin stood a little straighter, her pain forgotten.

"I need you to spend the week with Harrison." It was said without any humour as though the woman was being serious. Before Caitlin could respond, Tina continued. "I know this is a lot to ask, but Harrison told me about your accident this weekend and that you are off work for the week. Usually I'd be home with him myself, but I got stuck in England with meetings."

"Tina," Caitlin began, trying to decide how to explain to the other woman that she wasn't comfortable being alone with Harrison because she was still attracted to him. "I'm not sure I'd be comfortable spending an entire week with Harrison outside of work."

"Caitlin, Harrison has told me that there's some tension between you two. He couldn't tell me why, but he has mentioned it a time or two. Normally I wouldn't ask this of anyone. I'd much rather be there for him, and have been for the last twelve years, but this year I can't." There was a long pause through which Caitlin held her tongue, sensing that Tina was about to reveal something extremely personal. "This week is the anniversary of Tess's death," Tina calmly explained.

"Normally he gets very moody and upset. Angry with himself for any number of reasons. This year I thought we'd cut it off by going out and getting him a tattoo in memory of Tess, but talking to him earlier I got the feeling that he's not doing well at all." There was worry in Tina's voice. It made Caitlin rethink her statement. Was she willing to spend a week with a moody and upset Harrison Wells? Knowing what the tattoo represented certainly explained why he had clammed up when Caitlin had tried to question him about it. The only problem, Harrison hadn't been answering any of Caitlin's calls.

"He's not answering my calls," she informed Tina.

"Not a problem. When we hang up I will text you his address and entrance code. Just show up at his house, tell him I called you and you agreed. Blame it all on me, even refusing to leave. We've known each other long enough that it will land me in hot water for a period, but it will be well worth it."

A thought struck Caitlin. "Tina, when you said the whole week, does that mean you want me to stay the night with him as well?" She wasn't certain what answer she was hoping for.

"Yes, but don't worry, Harrison has a large guest bedroom. Just tell him I told you to come over and you took advantage of it and scheduled maintenance on your apartment so you can't leave. Hell, I'll even pay for whatever you have done while you're gone." It was the final offer that told Caitlin everything she really needed to know.

"You really don't think he should be alone right now, do you?" Caitlin found her mind imagining all the things Tina thought Harrison might do without someone there.

"He shouldn't. Please tell me you'll do this." Caitlin could tell that Tina was desperate and terrified that Caitlin would say no.

"Let me pack my bag and I'll get a cab over as soon as I can," Caitlin agreed. "I'll check in with you each night after he's gone to bed. Text okay?"

"Text will be perfect. Thank you so much Caitlin." There was a long pause as though Tina was trying to make sure she'd achieved all she'd intended. "Are you certain you'll be alright doing this? He can be a handful even when he isn't being emotional and moody."

"Tina, I'll figure it out. Harrison pretty much saved my life Saturday. I will make this work. Don't worry. I'll talk to you later." Figuring Tina wouldn't be comfortable ending the conversation, Caitlin ended the call and started getting her stuff together. When her phone beeped with a text message she glanced at it to confirm it was all the information Tina felt she might need. It seemed Caitlin had work to do.


	8. Chapter 7 - Part 2 - Harrison's House

**Chapter 7: Recovery - Part 2 - Harrison's House**

An hour later Caitlin found herself in a cab headed to Harrison's house. She'd called her landlord and informed him that she'd be out of the apartment for at least five days so it would be an ideal time to treat for insects and replace the rugs. This gave her an excuse to stay with Harrison the entire week. She'd texted Cisco to let him know she wasn't going to be in her apartment for the week, but not the precise details. That was something she'd rather tell him to his face to avoid any chance of gossips at work reading it over his shoulder.

"Here we are lady," the cabbie said, pulling the car to a stop in front of a large house with double doors. "Not sure who you're visiting, but looks like he's rich."

"A sick friend," Caitlin answered, glancing at the meter and handing him enough to cover the drive and a decent tip. "Thanks." She started getting out of the cab, struggling some with her crutches. While she got out, the cabbie went to get her bag. He was fast enough that he managed to be waiting to help her with the luggage in hand.

"Need me to wait until you make it inside?" The cabbie was studying the well groomed exterior of the massive house with a critical eye. It was far enough out of the city that it was a twenty minute drive, but close enough to still be optimal housing. The nearest neighbour had to be half a mile away. The the lawn was well tended and cared for. Caitlin found herself wondering if Harrison tended to it himself or paid somebody to do it.

"No, I'm okay. I have a key," Caitlin assured the concerned driver. "You can go ahead and leave. Just put my bag by the door and I'll make sure it makes it inside."

"Okay." Shrugging, the short man deposited the bag, returned to his car, and was driving off in a matter of moments. Taking a deep breath, Caitlin watched him go before going to the door.

Inside his home, Harrison was struggling with emotions. Usually he could keep them under control, but this week was always rough on him, and certain things were making this year worse. He'd tried to stay perky and happy with Chris so she wouldn't feel she'd need to stay with him. The tattoo had helped at first, but now it did nothing. It was just ink on his skin, whereas Tess had been his soul, stolen from him too early and painfully. He made it through the CF walk, caring for Caitlin had helped him stay distracted, but once they'd been found and she'd asked about the sand dollar, he'd lost control.

Now, he found himself curled up crying, tears running down his cheeks. He wasn't sure when he'd last showered or eaten and he didn't care. It was so painful to think of where he might be if he'd not lost Tess. What they would be doing with their lives together. Would they have perhaps had a child? Another sob painfully pushed past his lips and he hugged his knees tighter to his chest and let his chin rest on his knees as he continued to cry.

"Harrison!" The voice calling his name didn't reach his ears at first. "Harrison!" Now it was clear. He tried to ignore it. After all, it had to be Chris, here to take care of him like she did every anniversary week. He loved her for it, but hated that she saw him at his worst. The lights clicked on and he knew it was just a matter of minutes before Chris found him and forced him to pull himself together.

"Harrison!" The voice sounded more panicked and something about the tone of it made Harrison try to stop his tears long enough to listen. Her gait was different. The familiar sounds of her footsteps in his house weren't there. "Harrison! Where the hell are you?" That wasn't Chris. Oh no, somebody else was going to see him like this! His gaze dropped to the frame in his hands and the tears started anew. He didn't care. Losing himself in Tess's photographic gaze, he cried harder.

"There you are," the female voice said softly. Somebody was sitting next to him now, leaning against the wall. "She was beautiful."

"She was my world," he said harshly. "My soul and somebody stole her from me. Destroyed her body so that I had to watch her struggle to breathe."

"I know you're in pain and there is nothing I can do to bring her back to you, but I'm here for you," the voice assured him. A hand worked around his shoulders and he allowed whoever it was to pull him into a warm hug. "Even if it just means being a shoulder for you to cry on."

"I want her back," he sobbed, throwing his arms around the waiting shoulders and pressing his face into the welcoming chest. What did it matter if he sobbed on some stranger's breasts? "It hurts too much to do this without her."

Caitlin felt her heart break as the man collapsed into her embrace. He smelled faintly of sweat and she was pretty sure he was wearing the same trousers from Saturday, but it didn't matter. "Shhh," she hushed him as she rubbed his back and held him tightly. Tina hadn't been wrong to worry. It was clear that Harrison was a mess. Obviously, he'd not let go of Tess, despite the years since he'd lost her. There was no time limit on grief, that Caitlin knew. It seemed to her that her boss held his all in throughout the year to let it out for this one period all at once.

"It wasn't enough time," he complained through sobs.

"It never is," she informed him. "Go ahead and cry. Let it out. It will hurt more if you try to keep it bottled."

Whoever she was, her voice was soothing, her body warm and welcoming, and she smelled nice. Even if he'd wanted to look at her, he wouldn't have seen her through the tears. It was odd, because her gentle movements and soft assurances helped. Hearing her say that he should go ahead and cry actually made it easier for him to get control of himself. Usually Chris just sat with him and made sure he ate, slept, and showered. She'd tried to comfort him the first few years but had given up on it. This woman though, wasn't necessarily trying to comfort him so much as help him through the emotions.

"When you're ready, we'll get up off this floor and out of this closet and get you cleaned up. I'm pretty sure these are the same jeans from Saturday," she informed him. Saturday? The tears were letting up and his mind was starting to engage more than just raw emotions. "While you shower, I'll make you something to eat and then if you like I'll sit with you while you try to sleep some. If it would help and if you want, later we can do a road trip to her grave. What kind of flowers did she like?"

"Roses." He answered instantly without thinking. After a moment, he continued, "I would like that." A moment later his mind clicked. "Caitlin?" Sniffling, he looked up into her face. Squinting through the tears, he could make out her smile as she looked down at him.

"Hey," she softly greeted him. "Let me know when you're ready to get up." Part of him wanted to pull away from her, horrified that she was seeing him in such a state, but the part of him in control didn't care. It was Caitlin. She'd already seen him at some of his physically worst moments. Now she was seeing him at his emotional worse.

"Why are you here?" He figured it was the safest question, though he wasn't certain it really mattered. She was there and he desperately needed somebody, as much as he didn't want to admit it.

"My apartment needed some maintenance and Cisco's apartment is much too small for both of us for a week. Tina suggested you'd be fine with me crashing with you. Even gave me the entrance codes." It wasn't a lie. Caitlin figured she'd stay as close to the truth as possible.

"You mean Chris called you and asked you to come over here," he sniffled, pulling away. Almost immediately he missed the contact, but he was trying to be angry. It hurt less than missing Tess and thinking of all that could have been.

"Doesn't matter how it happened. You need somebody and I could use some help while I recover. Seems to me we're stuck with each other." Caitlin smiled gently at him as she studied his puffy eyes and tear streaked face. Without thinking, she reached out and stroked the tears away, noticing how he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes and sniffling more.

"I can think of worse people to be stuck with," Harrison murmured. Letting out a sad sigh, he leaned into Caitlin again, letting her embrace him once more. "Tess's ashes are interred in a columbarium just outside of Starling City. I didn't know what else to do, but she always loved to garden. Maybe we could get her ashes and I could put her in the garden here." They'd been living in an apartment when she'd died. Before the accident they had been talking about buying their first house. The accident changed everything.

"Then you could visit her everyday," Caitlin suggested, uncertain what the woman would have wanted. She'd never known Tess, but she couldn't think of anything more peaceful then being made part of a garden. "Get yourself together, get a shower, and I'll make you something to eat. We'll get a good night's rest and then tomorrow we'll do a road trip to Starling City." As she spoke, she stroked her hand through his hair, loving how soft it was, even unwashed and unkempt.

"Right. Stinky Harrison is no fun to travel with," he agreed, slowly getting to his feet. He was barefoot and as he put his weight on his right foot, he yelped and started hopping on his left. "Stupid dolt, stitches!"

"Are you okay?" Caitlin was struggling to her feet when it happened. Leaning against the closet wall, at least it was a large walk-in closet, Harrison was examining the bottom of his foot. Looking to Caitlin, he managed a weak smile.

"Better than you. I just forgot that I have some stitches in this foot. Sorry about your ankles," he replied. Putting his foot down, he stepped so that most of his weight was on the heel. Having somebody else there made it far easier to pull himself out of the depression caused by the anniversary of Tess's death. The pain was there but with someone else to focus on he could push it into the background. "Don't worry about cooking. I'll do that when I'm done cleaning up. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable." He spoke as he limped away, having made certain she was steady, headed towards the master bathroom. Shaking her head, Caitlin took a moment to admire his backside before hobbling after. At least she seemed to be getting better with the crutches.


	9. Chapter 7 - Part 3 - Food

**Chapter 7: Recovery - Part 3 - Food**

Instead of just sitting around doing nothing, she made her way to the kitchen and tried to figure out what she could make with the ingredients in the fridge. Eventually she settled on a very veggie omelette and started cooking. She also managed to find some mint flavoured tea and got enough brewing for both of them. Mint was soothing to humans, so she hoped it would help Harrison relax and calm down. She wasn't certain how long she'd been cooking when a light soapy scent reached her nose. Looking up, she smiled as Harrison entered the kitchen, a towel around his bare shoulders, and wearing S.T.A.R. Labs sweats on his lower extremities. He was still barefoot and limping, but looked much better though still not what she was used to seeing. His dark hair hadn't been tamed yet and seemed intent on defying gravity in every direction. It had grown back in from the incident before Christmas beautifully and the scars were only really visible if you knew what they were.

"Your injuries from Hartley have healed nicely," Caitlin observed as he stopped and leaned against the counter. Harrison grunted an answer. "I wonder what happened to him," she mused, figuring that she could do the talking for both of them if needed.

"He's seeing a psychiatrist and trying to rebuild his relationship with his family. Unfortunately, it isn't going well," Harrison answered easily. "We're starting to talk, though I insist it always be in public. There's still a lot of anger in that young man. His parents aren't making it any easier. Not sure if he'll recover." He managed a sad smile as he studied her face. "Don't look so surprised. I don't just give up on people. I couldn't work with Hartley but that doesn't mean I can't try to help him."

"Guess I'm not used to a boss who cares that much," Caitlin admitted. "I wanted to thank you for saving me this weekend."

"I always care," he informed her. "As for thanking me, I think you'll be returning the favour in full and then some this week. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't handle this anniversary very well." Before she could respond, he changed the subject, "What happened to Cisco on Saturday?"

"In a word, bees," Caitlin admitted. "He went running off because there was a bee flying around him. Ted and I chased him, but Ted told me to go back. That's when I found that lovely hole."

"I see. Well, did Cisco at least manage to avoid getting stung?" Though his eyes were still red and swollen from crying, there was a touch of mirth to them now.

"Yes, but he ended up with poison ivy," Caitlin said, fighting the smile that always seemed to want to spread when she thought of her best friend's predicament. To her joy, Harrison actually managed a chuckle. "We got our prescriptions filled at the same time and spent Sunday in misery together. Sadly, he had to go back to work."

"Well, maybe it was Karma," Harrison suggested. "Here, you sit, I'll fry." He stepped up to take over manning the frying pan, but Caitlin shook her head.

"No. You go sit and drink your tea. If you're feeling up to it, tell me about Tess. Maybe talking about her will help you deal with your emotions. If you don't want to talk about that, start planning our road trip. We'll probably want to stay the night in Starling City, or near there. Maybe you could reserve hotel rooms. My wallet is in my purse on the end of the bar." She nodded towards the small black bag.

"Thank you, Caitlin," Harrison said softly. Going to the table in the breakfast nook, he grabbed a laptop from a shelf and sat, opening the computer. "Tess would have liked you." Glancing up from cooking, Caitlin watched him type, that sad smile on his face. A sad smile was better than tears though. "She would have enjoyed Cisco's sense of humour as well. Spending time with Chris gave her a bit of a British sense of humour. I can't begin to tell you how many times those two forced me to watch Monty Python."

"Cisco has subjected me to the original series," Caitlin admitted. "How did the three of you meet?" A slurp answered her. Glancing at her charge, she was pleased to see Harrison sipping his tea.

"Sorry," he said as he put the mug down, looking sheepish. "Tea is good. We met at University."

"Oh, you were students together?" She folded the omelette, leaned back on her crutches, put the flipper down, took up her mug, and sipped at the tea. Harrison watched her for a moment before answering.

"Well, Chris and I were. Tess and I met on the beach just after finals," he eventually answered. "See, Chris and I were flatmates for three years. She found an excellent job and eventually bullied me into taking an interview."

"Interesting," Caitlin replied truthfully. "And Tess? You two just met on the beach and started talking?"

"No," he shook his head and looked down into his cup of tea. Even without seeing his face, Caitlin could tell that his emotions were starting to run rampant again.

"You don't have to tell me." Taking up the flipper, she poked at the omelette, pleased that she'd managed to fold it without making a mess. "I understand. Some people are such an integral part of ourselves that when they die a huge part of us goes with them."

"You're speaking from experience," he observed. There was the barest nod, but Caitlin didn't speak, her attention seemingly focused on the food now filling the air with the most wonderful smells. "Well, I made a habit of going to the beach. I struggle to turn my brain off sometimes and as a teen discovered that building or drawing helped stem the tide, so to speak. After classes and work, I was working as an ER doctor, I'd spend a day at the beach building sand castles." A chuckle sounded from Caitlin. Looking up, Harrison locked his eyes with her chocolate browns and took a breath.

"You laugh, but it helped. I'd pay some local kids to tear the castles down at the end of each day. Helped spread responsible beaching," he lectured her. Pausing, he returned his gaze to the computer screen. "What size bed do you prefer? For the hotel room," he clarified before she could question him.

"Oh, double is fine." Shrugging, she shifted some so that she could cut up fruit that she'd found in the fridge. It had surprised her that Harrison's fridge was stocked with so much healthy food. For some reason, she'd always thought of him as a junk food addict. Perhaps it was because so many of the scientists and brilliant people she knew had a tendency to forget to take care of themselves.

"Okay. Anyhow, I was on the beach working on a castle when this gorgeous woman arrives, sheds her clothes, and heads for the water." He was lost in the memory. "I didn't pay her much mind once she started swimming. I mean, she was beautiful, but once she was in the water there wasn't much to see besides her powerful stroke." Sighing, he closed his eyes, letting the memory wash over his mind. Leaning back, he opened his eyes and gazed at Caitlin, his computer forgotten before him. "I took a break. Heard the smallest cry. Looked up and realized she was in trouble."

"You saved her?" It was hard for Caitlin to imagine her boss rushing into the ocean to save another person. Actually, the more she thought about it, the more she could imagine it. Her voice seemed to break a spell, making him blink, wipe at unfallen tears, and shrug.

"Told you, I always care. Yes, I swam out and got her." He managed a smile. "She rewarded me with coffee and a hat. She called it my jaunty cap. I thought I didn't have a chance because she didn't approve of something I had done to a professor, but I gave her my number." Shrugging, he returned his gaze to the laptop.

"And the rest is history," Caitlin mused softly. Now she knew the beginning. Later, she would try to get him to confront the end. "Food is done."

"Give me a moment and I'll come get the plates," Harrison replied, his gaze fixed on the computer. "I'm having some problems with this damn website." Nodding, Caitlin decided to sit and hobbled over to the table. Cooking while on crutches hadn't been easy and she needed a break. After sitting, she tried to study Harrison without openly staring at him.

"You're staring," Harrison noted, his lips tugging up and then flipping down to a frown. "Damnit," he muttered again, tapping at a key a bit hard. "Stupid website crashed," he told Caitlin. Pushing the computer away, he turned to face her, managing a weak smile. "So, what were you staring at, exactly?" Pressing her lips together, Caitlin considered the man sitting before her.

"I was trying to decide if you were really doing better," she admitted. "I was also trying to figure out what might have made that scar on your chest." Without thinking, she reached out, nearly touching the scar in question. To her surprise, he pulled back from her.

"Yeah, not ready to talk about that one," he told her, getting to his feet and going into the kitchen. "Sorry." He paused at the stove, glancing back at her. "Maybe I'll tell you about it. Not today." There was silence as they stared at each other. For a moment, Harrison thought perhaps he'd pushed her back too hard, but then she smiled gently at him.

"No problem," Caitlin assured him. It seemed to her that he must have gotten the scar during the car accident that cut Tess's life tragically short. While Harrison's love may have survived the crash, Cisco had told her it had only been for one painfully short year. A year that, from what Caitlin had gleaned, had been mostly Harrison watching Tess struggle to recover only to eventually let go and die.

"Thank you." They locked eyes for a moment longer, before Harrison grabbed some silverware and the plates Caitlin had prepared and brought them to the table.

"No problem. I'm here to help you. That means letting you take things at your own speed." As he put the plates down, Caitlin reached out and patted a muscular arm. "No matter how fast or slow that might be this week."

"Slow," he informed her. "Sluggish really." Sitting, he took up his fork. "This looks delicious." Grinning at her, he dug into the omelette.

The meal ended up being quiet, but peaceful. After they were finished eating, Harrison cleared the table and started washing dishes. Caitlin was afraid her companion for the week was going to be silent the entire time, but after loading one plate into the dishwasher, he glanced over at her. "So," he began. "I'll finish washing up and then I'll take your luggage to the guest room. You can get settled in and we can plan our road trip."

"That sounds wonderful. I could use a nap, but then after that maybe we can slip out to the store and pick up some travel food," Caitlin suggested.

"Yeah, sure. Sounds like fun," Harrison agreed. He finished loading the dishwasher and closed it, leaning against the counter. "Come on, I'll show you to the guest room. Did you bring bags?"

"I left them just inside the main door," she answered with a nod.

"Then wait right there," he instructed her. Doing a funny little run, he did have an injured foot, he left the kitchen. A moment later, he returned, her bags held casually in his hands. "If the lady would please follow me," he said in a stuffy voice. Letting out a snort of air, Caitlin smiled and got to her feet. Harrison stood completely still while she got the crutches situated.

"Lead the way," she requested once ready. With a deep bow, he then turned and shuffled down a hallway painted a bright blue. "How many stitches did you need?" Mostly she was asking the question to fill the dead air.

"Not many," he answered after a moment. "Certainly not enough to slow me down." He cracked a crooked smile, but Caitlin could still sense sadness just behind that grin. Obviously he wasn't as easily distracted from his grief as she had thought.

"I can check them for you," she offered. His brow furrowed as he turned an unreadable look on her. "Because I know how hard it can be to look at the bottom of your own foot," Caitlin clarified, worried that he had taken her offer the wrong way. "Not because I don't think you're a good doctor."

"It's okay," he said, before she could continue with her blathering. "I'll be fine. This way." He flashed another half smile and led the way down the hall. "Guest room is just in here." Opening the first door they came to, he stepped inside and over so that Caitlin could stand next to him and survey the room.

It was painted in a soft green, that was immediately welcoming. For whatever reason, it put Caitlin at ease as she gazed at the queen sized bed in a dark wooden frame. They were facing the foot of the bed, so that Caitlin was tempted to just climb in right away. The bedding was some sort of jungle pattern that matched the soft green of the walls. To the right of the bed, a dresser made of the same dark wood as the bed frame sat, waiting to be put in use.

"I'm sorry it isn't much," Harrison said. "I'm not a very good interior decorator."

"This is perfect," Caitlin assured him. "I love it. I'm certain I'll be very comfortable." She was utterly exhausted after trying to help Harrison. With the tidal wave of emotions he'd been riding, she didn't know how her boss was still going. Shifting her weight, she hobbled in just far enough to drop down to sit at the end of the bed.

"Oh, do you need some help?" Rushing forwards, Harrison floundered for a moment as he realized he was still holding her luggage. "Let me just put this down," he turned side to side, before spinning in a circle and opting to put the suitcase down by the dresser.

"Harrison, I'm fine, thank you," Caitlin assured him, amused at his antics. "I've got this." With some awkward movements she scooted back onto the bed. Figuring out where to put her crutches paused her, until she looked up to see Harrison's hand hovering by her arm. "Thanks." Smiling sheepishly, she gave him the crutches and pulled herself up the bed as he leaned the crutches against the wall between the bed and the dresser.

"There, all set and waiting for you," Harrison told her as he stepped back and grinned crookedly. There was a brief pause as he looked around the room, before jumping forwards and moving to help Caitlin get comfortable, including fluffing her pillow and helping her with the bed sheets. Before he could tuck her in, she caught his hand.

"Harrison," she said, locking her eyes with his. Goodness but they were wonderful eyes. Caitlin could lose her soul to those eyes. Blinking rapidly, she looked away, trying to free herself from that gaze. "I appreciate all your efforts. Give me an hour to recharge and we can figure out our plans for tomorrow."

"Oh," Harrison stopped and stepped back. "Uhm, right." He headed for the door. "I'll see you in an hour." Grabbing the doorknob, he paused. "I'll go about getting the hotel rooms booked. I was thinking two nights would be good. We can spend tomorrow driving, stay at the hotel, spend the next day getting everything in order, and then get a good night's rest before we drive back on Friday."

"Sounds like a plan," Caitlin said, not really thinking. At the moment, she just wanted him to go away so she could regroup. Getting lost in his eyes was not something she'd expected to have happen. She was supposed to be over Harrison, not falling harder for him. What the hell was she thinking?

"Good. I'll go take care of that. You, uh, you rest." Looking uncomfortable, Harrison nodded, turned, and left, closing the door as he went.

Dropping back into the pillows, Caitlin groaned. "Oh man," she muttered to herself. "What am I doing? He noticed me staring and now he feels weird having me here when he'd rather have his girlfriend, the amazing Dr. Tina McGee." Letting out a frustrated moan, she rolled some so that she faced into her pillows. Annoyingly, she noticed that they smelled wonderfully of Harrison's laundry detergent. When the hell had she noticed which laundry detergent he used?

Sitting up, she huffed and glared at the door, trying to clear the thoughts of Harrison from her mind before she napped. The last thing she needed was to try to go to sleep with her brain fixated on him. Muttering to herself, she sprawled back, pulling the pillows over her head as she attempted to focus on something, anything, other than Harrison Wells and how much she wanted him.


	10. Chapter 7 - Part 4: Reaching Out

_**A belated birthday gift for my undead-beta DoctorHarrisonWells. I know this chapter is very slow moving, but I'm doing that on purpose. Please just hang in there. I'm trying to set several things up as well as clearly establish my version of the characters. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me this far. I haven't forgotten about my other stories. I've just been sick, dealing with birthdays, holidays, and work. Thanks folks. - C.T.**_

 **Chapter 7: Recovery - Part 4 - Reaching Out**

In the kitchen, Harrison was glowering at his computer as he argued with the hotel's online registration forms. Taking a deep breath, he tried one last time before giving up, closing the laptop, and practically leaping up from the table. Blowing the air out, he paused, made a number of faces before pulling out his phone, and calling the hotel. While he waited, and even once the call was answered, he paced the room. As he did he spun a pencil in his right hand, stopping and glaring when he fumbled and the pencil went spinning away to land in the kitchen sink.

"No, look, I was trying to use your website but it kept crashing on me," he informed the person who had answered. Frowning, he started to prowl about the kitchen once more, randomly picking things up only to put them back down almost immediately. "No, I wanted to reserve two rooms for tomorrow and Thursday night." The entire phone call he walked around, trying not to think about his house guest and why she was there.

Eventually he successfully reserved and paid for their rooms. With that done, he sat down and started trying to determine what he would need to do in order to remove Tess's ashes. After some online digging, he found the forms he needed and went about submitting the application for removal. He also contacted the cemetery and confirmed that his request had been received. From what the director told him, it would workout so that they could remove the urn and memorial plaque on Thursday. With everything done for that, he had one more important phone call to make.

Sharon Morgan had never really understood her daughter, Tess. Even more confusing to Sharon had been Tess's relationship with Harrison Wells. She'd been introduced to the man the night her husband, Tess's father, had died. Based on the way Tess had introduced Harrison, Sharon had deduced the man was gay. When Tess had announced her engagement to Harrison, well, the confusion had grown. Still, it had been a beautiful wedding and whatever the relationship had been, Harrison and Tess had been happy. After Tess's death, Harrison and Sharon hadn't really talked much. They chatted, but not talked. So, she was very much surprised when her phone rang and the caller was identified as her son-in-law.

"Hello?" She was hesitant to assume it was indeed Harrison. After all, they hadn't spoken since Christmas last year. She always checked in on him during the big holidays, but they rarely spoke during this time of year. Instead they both grieved privately.

"Sharon, it's Harrison," his voice sounded rough, probably from tears.

"Oh, sweetie, I was just looking at the wedding pictures." What else should she say? They both knew the anniversary was in a day. "I usually do, this time of year," she continued, fresh tears welling in her eyes.

"Yeah, me too," he said softly. There was a long pause, as they both faced their pain. "It's part of the reason I'm calling," Harrison forged onward, but then faltered. This was much harder than he'd thought.

"Yes dear?" There was so much she wanted to say. So much they had left unsaid. He blamed himself. That much, Sharon knew. "Harrison," she called his name softly. "How are you?"

His response came after a long silence, his voice cracking with his grief, "I'm having a rough week." It was his tears that always caught her. The fact that he didn't hide his pain from her. That meant more to Sharon than Harrison probably knew.

"Is your friend Tina there?" She may be a mother-in-law, but Harrison was her son, all the same, so she knew that Tina usually watched over him during this week.

"No. She's stuck in England, on business."

That explained it. Sharon at least had the rest of her family. She'd remarried and her other daughter, Jessica, had a rowdy pack of four children. Harrison only had Tina, as far as Sharon knew. "Sweetie, you shouldn't be alone. Not now. Are you dating anyone?"

The sound of the door opening and then slamming shut rang out, causing Harrison to frantically wipe his tears away and glare at the clock. "Sharon, I didn't call to talk about my love life," he forged on, turning to face the hall to see who was invading his home. There were only two people he'd given the entry code to. One was Chris, who had obviously passed the knowledge on to Caitlin.

The other was, "Yo! Harrison!" Cisco called out as he strode down the hall. "Hey, I hope you don't mind," the engineer began when he spotted Harrison. "Washers and dryers at my place are out again." Unaware that Harrison was in the middle of a phone call, Cisco leaned against the wall and continued. "Also, I'm aware of what this week means to you and wanted to be here for you. As a reminder that you aren't alone."

There was a long awkward silence as Harrison fought a number of emotions. He was touched by Cisco's thoughtfulness, pissed at the invasion, and also annoyed in general. "Yeah, thanks," he rushed. "I have a load in the dryer. I'll take care of it in a minute. Washer is free."

"Excellent. Thanks." Grinning and completely unaware of Harrison's battling emotions, Cisco picked up the laundry bag he'd dropped on the floor and headed to the laundry room.

"Keep your poison ivy away from anything I might touch!" The scientist called after the engineer, getting a grunt for an answer. Shaking his head, Harrison remembered that he'd been on a phone call. "Sharon?" Harrison said her name hesitantly, uncertain if the lines were still connected.

"I'm here, dear," Sharon said sweetly. "Who was that?"

"Just a friend," Harrison grumbled. "Listen, I was calling to tell you that I'm going to have Tess's ashes moved. I was thinking the garden here might be a bit more appropriate." There was a beat of silence. "If that's okay with you," he added.

"Harrison, honey," Sharon began, but trailed off, needing to think. He was obviously hurting. She knew Tess would have hated seeing him in pain. Despite their distances, Sharon made it a point to visit Harrison once a year. One year she'd lucked out and gotten there when the garden Harrison maintained was in bloom. "Harrison, I think that's perfect. She would love it there," she finally declared. "However," there was a pause as she swallowed down some emotions. "I want to be able to visit my daughter more than once a year."

"You will always be welcomed to come and visit," Harrison said, wondering what kind of special hell he was opening up. "I'll get you a code to the front door. Just warn me before you come over."

"And Jessica and your nieces and nephews?" Rolling his eyes, Harrison considered his answer.

"I'm not giving her a door code and if you give her yours I'll change it," he declared. He paused and took a breath. "But, if she talks to me ahead of time, I'm okay with her coming to visit as well."

"And your nieces and nephews?" Sharon knew Harrison hadn't seen Jessica or her family in years. Now that they were starting to really talk, she was determined to talk about everything she'd wanted to say to her son-in-law. "The children need you in their lives."

"Why?" Harrison had no idea what Sharon was going on about. He wasn't exactly a person who liked children. "Sharon, all children do is eat, sleep, and excrete. What do they need me for? That's why they have Jessica and their father."

"Harrison, honey," Sharon began, saddened that the man didn't have a better understanding. "They need you so that they can know their Aunt Tess. Of all the people in this world, nobody knew or understood her better than you."

Harrison didn't know what to say. He'd never thought about it that way. He barely knew Jessica's kids. He just knew that she had two boys and two girls. It had never occurred to him that they might want to know anything about their Aunt. Running a hand through his hair, Harrison tried to reign in the sudden flood of sadness that came with realizing that Tess would never know her nieces and nephews. "I, uh, I hadn't thought of that," he managed to mumble.

"Harrison, I hope you don't mind but I used your laundry detergent," Cisco said, coming back into the kitchen. Seeing the tears filling Harrison's eyes, the engineer entered the room, watching as Harrison started to loose his grip on the phone. "Woah. Okay, take it easy Harrison."

"She never met them," Harrison whispered, dropping the phone. The emotions had hit him like a tidal wave. Maybe it was just because it was the anniversary of Tess's death, but whatever it was, he felt like he'd just watched her die once more. Stumbling back against the wall, Harrison couldn't focus on anything but the pain building in his chest.

"She never met who?" Cisco asked, wondering what the hell he should do. Tears were pouring down Harrison's face as he slowly slid down the wall to crumple on the floor. "Calm down. It's okay." Wondering where the hell Caitlin was, the younger man rushed forwards and sat down next to his boss. "Take a deep breath and talk to me."

"T-T-Tess," Harrison managed to sob out. "Never met her sister's kids," he finally managed.

"She never met her nephews?" Cisco thought he was understanding the words, but wasn't certain. There were some sobbing mumbling from Harrison and a nod of his head.

"I'm sorry. Cisco, I don't want you here." He tried to push the younger man away. Caitlin seeing him an emotional mess was one thing, but falling apart in front of Cisco wasn't acceptable in his mind. "I don't want," he didn't know how to articulate his thoughts.

"I don't care what you want. I'm here, right now. You were there for me when I needed you. Right? I mean, you are the same guy I shared a shower with a while back. Aren't you?" Harrison managed a weak nod. "So, you are going to tell me," Cisco said firmly. "You are going to tell me all about Tess, and all about what you two planned. Then you will tell me what she would have thought of her sister's kids."

"I don't know them," Harry whispered.

"See. Now we have to fix that," Cisco declared. "You should know her family. But first, you get yourself cleaned up. Come on, you need to fold your freakin' laundry so I can dry mine when the washer finishes." Grabbing Harrison's hands, the engineer pulled the older man to his feet.

"Ah, laundry, the adult version of the Never Ending Story," Harrison mused, sniffling some. Forgetting about his phone and the call he'd been in the middle of, he shuffled down the hall with the engineer. On the other end of the connection, Sharon waited a minute before ending the call.


	11. Chapter 7 - Part 5: Four Hours Later

**Chapter 7: Recovery - Part 5 - Four Hours Later**

The smell of something cooking woke Caitlin. Glancing at the clock on the wall, her eyes widened. She had not intended to sleep that long. Struggling out of the bed, she glowered at the clock. Had she really slept four hours? Sighing, she grabbed her crutches and hobbled out of the room. She was worried about Harrison. It didn't seem to her that he was completely stable again. Hopefully he hadn't been crying the whole time she'd been asleep.

"Harrison!" Calling out his name, she moved down the hall towards the smells wafting from the kitchen. As she entered the kitchen she was surprised to see Cisco.

"He's outside," the engineer informed her, looking up from the stove. He was standing before a pan, cooking something that smelled delicious.

"Cisco? When did you get here?" While she was happy to see her friend, it was completely unexpected.

"A while ago. I got off work early because I went in early. Couldn't sleep with all the itchies from the poison ivy," he answered with a shrug and a wiggle. "Anyhow, the laundry at my apartment is out again so I came over to get some clothes clean. I figured you and Harrison could use the company."

"I appreciate it. How did it go?" Caitlin took a seat at the bar facing the stove top. As she spoke, she watched Cisco work. It seemed he was making a family recipe and it not only smelled good but looked delicious.

"Dude," Cisco's eyes widened as he shook his head. "Harrison was talking to his mother-in-law about transferring the ashes and she mentioned the fact that he was the best way for his nieces and nephews to know Tess, man broke down. I mean, tears and sobbing. He actually let me hug him and we sat together in the laundry room while he did an information dump about Tess. I hope that someday I find a love like that."

"He was crying again? I had hoped he'd gotten past that." Shaking her head, Caitlin wondered how rough her road trip with Harrison was going to be the next day.

"I'm thinking he's cried himself out," Cisco replied. "He seems to be doing better, though he's gone really quiet. Now he's just sitting out on the porch watching the backyard."

"So you're making dinner?" She rested her chin in her hand as she watched him in amusement.

"Hey, I may not have ever gotten along with my parents, but Momma Ramon's recipes are great. Food will be ready in about ten minutes. Don't be late, cause I can totally eat all of this myself," Cisco declared.

"Right. I'm going to go check in on Harrison." Smiling at Cisco, she slowly got to her feet and took up her crutches to head out to find her boss and friend.

There was a sliding glass door near the breakfast nook. It lead out to a spacious patio with chairs and a hammock. At first glance Caitlin didn't see Harrison, but she realized that the hammock was slowly swaying. "Hey," she called out as she closed the sliding door and made her way to the swinging swath of blue fabric. Barely visible within it was Harrison, his eyes closed and his dark hair an unruly mess. "Harrison?" He actually looked peaceful and she wondered if he was asleep. At his name, blue eyes snapped open and locked on her. With the blue fabric surrounding him, Caitlin was struck by just how bright blue his eyes were.

"Hi," he greeted her softly. "Good nap?" She wondered if he would tell her about the breakdown Cisco had helped him through.

"Amazing. How are you?" She studied him, a little worried that he'd made no move to get out of the hammock.

"Emotionally beat," he admitted. "I sort of broke down talking to Tess's mother. She called back about an hour ago to both check on me and inform me that the family is okay with me moving Tess's ashes." Letting out a long sigh, he shrugged within his cocoon.

"That's good. I'm sorry I didn't wake up." Before she continued, he was shaking his head.

"No, don't worry about it. Cisco arrived at an opportune time. I feel awful crying on him like that, but at last it wasn't some total stranger." He flashed a brief smile. It was true. He had felt horrible with Cisco seeing him at his utter worse. The young engineer had waved it away and nonchalantly started folding laundry as he spoke with his boss. It had been cathartic, standing over the laundry, telling the young man about Tess while they folded bed linens together.

"Are you sure you're up for a road trip tomorrow?" Caitlin wondered how he would handle it. If calling his mother-in-law had set him off, what would driving back to the city he'd shared with Tess do to him?

"Absolutely. Look, I'm too much of a mess to work, but having something to do helps. That, and I already sent Cisco out for road trip food." His eyes widened and he seemed to become amused. "A mistake on my part as I think he bought the entire junk food aisle."

"Cisco does love his sweets. Though, since you had me give him that physical he's gotten a whole hell of a lot better." Harrison just nodded his agreement. "Are you ready to come inside? Cisco said dinner would be ready soon."

"Sure," he agreed, shifting around and extricating himself from the hammock. Stretching his arms up over his head, he seemed unaware as his shirt rode up and he flashed his belly at Caitlin. After seeing him topless all day, she was annoyed to discover that even that little flash of skin caught her attention.

Blushing, Caitlin looked away briefly before returning her attention to her companion. Harrison was watching her, his face filled with concern. "You okay?" He asked, seeing her gaze.

"Yep," Caitlin said, trying hard not to blush deeper. "Let's go eat."

Together they trooped inside, Harrison following after Caitlin so he could get the doors. Cisco was just setting out plates filled with food. The trio sat and began eating, their conversation staying on light, cheerful topics. Harrison teased Cisco about the poison ivy before offering to whip up a home remedy. Cisco snarked about Harrison's tee shirt. It was apparently based off some books. A turtle with four elephants standing on its back holding up a landscape. To Caitlin's amusement and confusion, the two men started discussing the book series.

All in all, it was a nice, relaxing dinner. Harrison seemed more comfortable than he had earlier and it was easy for the three of them to fall into friendly banter and chatter. When they'd finished eating, Cisco and Harrison cleared the table, bickering about who would do the dishes. Caitlin had automatically been excused due to her injury. Ultimately, Harrison ended up with the washing up as Cisco declared the chef does not do dishes. It didn't stop the younger man from leaning against the counter top and critiquing Harrison's technique.

After dinner they played a few rounds of cards. Something Cisco called "Nutzy." It was a fast paced game and required a full deck per person. It seemed to help them all clear their heads. Just before nine, Cisco declared he was going home. Harrison saw him to the door and returned to face Caitlin. For a moment he just stood staring at her, leaning against the back of a chair.

"I know I napped for four hours," Caitlin began, grabbing her crutches. "But I'm beat."

"Completely understandable," Harrison said, watching her move. "I once lost an entire week due to a broken bone." He didn't elaborate. "Need any help?"

"No, I think I've got it." Managing a tired smile, Caitlin started towards the guest bedroom.

"Cait," he called her name softly, but she turned to face him. "If you aren't up to travelling, I can go alone." He shifted his weight as he spoke, not really looking at her.

"I'll be fine. You should get some rest though. I think all the driving will be your job," Caitlin informed him. She wasn't about to let him try and go alone. She'd never forgive herself. He needed the company, that was obvious. "Good night."

"Yes, night," he agreed. Turning away, Caitlin left him to do whatever he needed before bed. They had a long day ahead of them.


	12. Chapter 7: Part 6 to end

_**Hello folks! Apologies for the long absence. Life has been. Below is the conclusion of chapter 7 of Slow Burn. A lot is going on in this chapter, as I'm trying to establish a few things before I blow up the accelerator. Just a reminder, we're into June of 2013, the year the accelerator is turned on. If I have my timing right, the explosion happens in early December 2013. Barry wakes up in early October of 2014. Let me know what you think! All mistakes are my own! I've tried. Really I have! Off to work on another story. - troll**_

 **Chapter 7: Recovery - Part 6 The Next Day**

They left early the next morning. Caitlin woke on her own, managed an uncomfortable shower, dressed, and left her bedroom. "Good morning," Harrison greeted her, looking up from packing a cooler with drinks. "Food is packed, my bags are in the car already. Are you okay with eating on the road?"

"Oh, wow, you are ready," Caitlin observed. "Yes, I can be ready to go now. I'm fine with eating on the road."

"Great," he cheered, clapping his hands together. "Where's your bag?" He looked around, realized that it must still be in the guest bedroom. "Guestroom. I got it." Flashing a grin, he jogged past her towards the room. "Go ahead and get in the car. I'll be out in a minute," he called out. Shaking her head in amusement, Caitlin opted to just start towards the front door. A moment later, Harrison came up behind her. "I'll get the door," he called over his shoulder as he passed her. At the door he paused to juggle the cooler and her bag. Even with that delay, he still had time to open the door and stand aside as she hobbled past him.

"Are you always this energetic in the morning?" Caitlin asked in amusement.

"Pretty much," he agreed. "If I've been up for a while." He led the way to the car and helped her get in before packing the bag and cooler. "All set?" He asked as he climbed into the driver's seat. Caitlin nodded and suppressed a smile as he fought with the seat belt.

"All set," she agreed, unable to hide her smile.

"Then off we go," he declared, finally managing to buckle up. Putting the car into gear, he guided them onto the road and they were off.

They fought over the music. They probably spent an hour bickering over not only what to listen to, but also how loud to play it and how long. Eventually they settled on first Harrison choosing the music for an hour, then Caitlin. They switched off until they stopped for lunch. When Caitlin tried to pay, Harrison shook his head and snatched the bill away from her. After lunch the female scientist watched as her boss played a short game of soccer with children from a family also taking a break from a trip. It was amazing how different the male scientist was outside of the lab. He had a wild, energetic side to him that was unexpected if you only knew him from the lab. Of course, having seen him obsess over a project, Caitlin wasn't completely surprised with the high energy level.

After Harrison had burned off some energy, they got back on the road, Caitlin trying hard not to laugh at how sweaty he was. She didn't succeed and Harrison grinned over at her briefly before returning his attention to the road. It was odd how comfortable she felt with him. Despite her physical attraction to him, she was completely at ease in his presence. Her fears and worries from earlier had faded and while her injuries from their previous weekend together ached at times, for the most part, she was comfortable and happy. It seemed that he felt the same way.

It was about five in the evening when they arrived at the hotel. Harrison pulled up under the awning over the front entrance. "I'll run in and get our keys and stuff. You want to wait here?" He let his gaze drift to her. The female doctor was worried to see some sadness hiding beneath his exterior calm.

"Go ahead and park. We can both go inside. Can you handle unpacking everything?" She didn't want to make him do something he didn't want.

"Yeah, no problem." He flashed a quick grin and pulled the car around to the nearest available space. Suppressing a smile, Caitlin watched him hop out of the car and start gathering their things. Moving at a much slower pace, she gathered her crutches and carefully exited the vehicle. Despite having done nothing but chat with Harrison and watch the road pass, Caitlin found that she was utterly exhausted. By the time she was out of the car and comfortable on her crutches, Harrison had loaded himself down with all their things and was calmly waiting for her.

"Ready?" Caitlin asked, wondering if her boss really could manage all the baggage. With a small dip of his head, he indicated that he was and she led the way to the front desk.

"Good evening," a young man greeted them from behind the front desk. "How can I help you?"

"Hello. We have reservations for 2 rooms under the name Wells," Harrison explained, carefully depositing some luggage on the floor so he had a hand free.

"Of course." Flashing a brief grin, the young man started typing at the computer. "Did you say 2 rooms?" He inquired after a moment.

"Yes. Is there a problem?" Harrison glanced worriedly from the man to Caitlin.

"Well," began the young man. "We only have one reservation. A king semi-suite for 2 adults."

"How is that even possible? I called and made the reservations yesterday!" Harrison's voice had an edge of irritation and annoyance to it.

"Well, that explains it," mused the young man. "The website crashed yesterday and the person who was working the desk and took your reservation had some problems with the in-house system."

"So, can we get the right rooms?" Caitlin asked, her exhaustion creeping into her voice.

"Unfortunately, no. We're fully booked for the next 2 nights. Happens a great deal in the summer."

"So, we just have to make do crammed together in a semi-suite? Is that what you called it?" Irritation and anger had crept into Harrison's voice, making it clear that he was not happy.

"I'm sorry sir," began the young man. "I can't give you a room I don't have. The room I do have has a partial partition between a king bed and a pull-out couch. I realize that it isn't what you reserved, but I'm afraid it is the best I can do for a room. That said," he paused to look up at Harrison and the exhausted Caitlin. "I would be more than willing to ensure that the hotel covers all your meals while you are here. We have an excellent restaurant on the main floor and I highly recommend the room service."

Letting out a long sigh, Harrison looked to Caitlin. It was obvious that she just wanted to be done with the day. Though she was trying to appear perky and awake, there was a droop to her eyelids and a slump to her shoulders. "Fine. How are you going to make sure we don't get charged?" He figured the man would declare he'd put a note in the computer system. The same system that had messed up the reservation.

"I'm making a note in our computer files," the man said, typing. "However, I'm also going to provide you with a hotel card that you can use to pay for everything. We use them for people staying with us as guests for another company." He handed Harrison an envelope. "There are 2 room keys and your meal card. Room 210 is on the second floor. Take the elevators up and go left when the doors open."

"Thank you." Harrison sighed again as he took the offered envelope. Turning away from the desk, the scientist eyed the collection of bags and then the envelope in his hand.

"Can I help you with your things?" As he spoke the man at reception was already coming around the counter. At the same time, a young woman came out of a back room. "Sal, can you watch the front desk for me while I help these folks out?"

"Oh, that isn't necessary," Harrison began, but the dark haired young man was already picking up bags.

"I don't mind and I feel bad about your room. Please, let me help." There was a pause as the two man gazed at each other before a smile tugged at Harrison's lips and he nodded.

"If you insist."

"I certainly do, now if you'll follow me." He started towards the elevator, catching a nod of approval from the woman who had come out and taken over his station.

"We really appreciate this," Caitlin said as they waited for the elevator.

"I'm happy I can help you in some way." He flashed an easy smile, and Caitlin realized that he had bright green eyes that seemed to shine. Maybe it was the combination of his dark hair and cocoa coloured skin that made his eyes seem so unusual. Whatever it was, his eyes almost seemed to twinkle. "Right this way," he instructed as the elevator doors opened. He had to know Caitlin had been staring but it didn't seem to phase him. They followed him into the elevator and rode in it silently after Harrison had punched the button for the second floor. There was a ding and the young man led the way off and down a hall.

"I got the door," Harrison declared, scrambling forwards since the other man had his arms full. Opening the door, he stepped inside and acted as doorstop for first Caitlin and then the young clerk.

"Thank you." With fluid movements the man deposited their luggage on the folding holder and stood. "Everything should be in order." He stepped through a door just to the left of the entrance. "I'll have additional towels and toiletries sent up in a bit. If you folks need anything else, feel free to contact me at the front desk. My name is Charles."

"Thank you, Charles. We appreciate your help," Harrison said, watching Caitlin sprawl across the couch. With one last nod, Charles let himself out, leaving the two doctors alone. "Cait, are you okay?" Harrison asked, eyeing her worriedly. She looked exhausted.

"Oh, fine. I'm just worn out. That's all." Caitlin blinked tiredly.

"Well, you're still healing," Harrison pointed out. "Why don't you get comfortable on the bed and take a nap. I will see about figuring out a meal for us. You can wake up, eat some dinner, take a shower, and then go to bed." He flashed a smile at her.

"I'm supposed to be here helping you," Caitlin tried to argue. "I can't help you if I'm asleep." Trying to blink away her exhaustion, she started to sit up.

"Cait, I'm fine," he assured her. "Come on. I'll help you to the bed." With a cheeky grin, he swooped in, scooped her up into his arms, and started carrying her over to the only bed in the room. Gently, he knelt on the bed and deposited her there, amused at how tightly she was hanging on to him. "I wouldn't drop you," he assured her as Caitlin let go of him and he started to move away.

"I know! You just surprised me," Caitlin argued.

"Rest. I will be fine. I promise you won't find me blubbering in the closet." His blue eyes were serious, the mirth gone. Studying him intently, his companion tried to figure out what was going on in the man's head. There was a new calmness about him. It was almost like he had found some sort of peace on their drive.

"Okay. Just make sure you wake me for dinner," she finally decided. As he nodded, she let herself plop back into the pillows. Since her body was still healing it made sense that she was so tired. Though, seeing how much energy Harrison had made Caitlin feel bad for wanting to just fall asleep. All the same, within a moment she was asleep.

Standing by the bed, Harrison smiled at the sleeping woman. Knowing that she had come hobbling when Chris asked on Harrison's behalf made him feel oddly better. Yes, there was still the aching pain of Tess and losing her, but it wasn't hurting as much as it usually did this time of year. Of course, this was the first year that he had more than Chris as a friend. After Tess had died, Harrison had found it extremely difficult to make friends. A year of pain as Tess slowly wasted away and finally died from her crash injuries had helped isolate Harrison from the rest of the world. After her death he had barely made it to the one year anniversary. Luckily, Chris had visited just in time to save Harrison from himself. Every year since, the female scientist had made sure to be there the week of the anniversary. Chris had been his rock, and this year she'd roped Caitlin into it. It had been Chris who had suggested Harrison focus on making the dream lab he'd shared with Tess come true. After that, he'd thrown everything at making that dream a very real reality. He'd found it difficult to work in or near Starling City, though. Moving to Central City had seemed like the best idea. He'd floundered some at first, but then managed to get things really going.

Nobody knew why he'd named it S.T.A.R. labs and he wasn't sure anyone ever would. He'd not even told Chris. Walking the halls of the lab he and Tess had dreamed about, talked about, was a blessing and a curse. It was a constant reminder of the woman he'd loved and lost. It was also a sort of testimony to her greatness. Without her in his life, he wasn't sure he'd have ever managed to make it a reality. Now, in six months, that dream would finally be a complete reality with the activation of the accelerator. He just needed to find a better physical engineer and then of course they'd spend several months testing and retesting all the safety precautions. Nothing could go wrong. His shrine to Tess would become the greatest laboratory in the world.

Smiling to himself, he turned away. Cait needed to sleep. Harrison had some energy to burn off and some thinking to do before dinner. Grabbing up his bag, he took it into the bathroom. Thank goodness the hotel had a gym and pool. He was definitely going to be taking advantage of that. With one last glance at the sleeping Caitlin as he exited the bathroom, dressed to exercise, he quietly slipped out of the room. She'd be fine while he was gone.

The clatter of a cart startled Caitlin so that she sat bolt upright in the bed. Blinking and trying to remember where she was, she looked around the room. A light purple sheet hung down separating the bed from the rest of the room. Her mind caught up with the events of the day and she smiled as she gazed at the makeshift curtain that Harrison had apparently put up. Soft conversation floated through the curtain and Caitlin got out of the bed and took up her crutches.

"Charlie, I really appreciate the help with the curtain," Harrison was saying softly to the young man who had checked them into the hotel. "You are a credit to this hotel. I hope they realize what a wonderful employee you are for them."

A deep rumbling laugh sounded as Caitlin poked her head around the curtain. Standing with his back to the curtain, Harrison was talking to Charlie, the man from the front desk. As for Charlie, he was standing by the table in the room, facing towards Caitlin and laughing deeply. Seeing the female doctor poke her head out, the young man nodded at her. "Doctor Snow," Charlie greeted her, a smile lighting his eyes. As he spoke, Harrison turned to face Caitlin and grinned a bit sheepishly.

"Caity," Harrison greeted her. "Charlie here was just helping me get our dinner set up." He motioned at the young man and then seemed to realize that Caitlin was still peeking around the light purple curtain. Putting down the plate he had in his hands, he scampered over and carefully pulled the curtain back so Caitlin could get past it.

"You boys have been busy," Caitlin observed, taking in the neatly laid table, complete with a deep red table cloth. Coming into the little living room area, she looked around. They had been very busy. It looked like the suitcases were unpacked. She didn't see them and she could see something peeking out of the dresser. The table was completely dressed and set and Charlie was carefully plating out the food he'd apparently brought to the room.

"Harrison did most of the work," Charlie informed her flashing that bright easy smile of his. "I only brought up the table settings. Unfortunately, the card I issued you guys for your food isn't working. When Harrison called the front desk about it, I decided to just take care of your meals personally." He finished dispensing food and put down the serving spoon so he could step back and survey his work. "I will make sure that everyone knows your food is free. I'm off in about an hour, but I'll make sure you two are taken care of before I go. Did you need anything else?"

"No, Charlie, you've done more than enough," Harrison assured the young man. They started towards the door while Caitlin just leaned on her crutches and smiled at the fact that the two men had apparently quickly become friends. After seeing Charlie out and on his way, Harrison closed the door and returned to the table, looking nervously at Caitlin. "I wasn't sure what you'd want to eat. I hope lasagna is okay."

"It looks wonderful," Caitlin informed him, coming forwards and allowing him to help her into a chair. "Did you change your clothes?"

Blushing, Harrison looked down at his shirt, it was for the same surf shop as the one he'd worn to the game night at Cisco's. This time it was a pale yellow. "Yeah, I went down and got a workout in before I tried to order dinner." He started to sit, now certain that Caitlin was comfortable. "Don't worry though, I promise I showered when I got back."

"Well, my nose thanks you," she said with a grin. Instead of answering, Harrison just nodded, his mouth full of salad. Chuckling, Caitlin started eating, aware that her roommate seemed oddly more comfortable with her than she'd expected. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" She asked the questions between bites of her very hot lasagna.

"Well, I have all the paperwork I need to get her ashes moved. We're scheduled to arrive at the front office at eleven tomorrow. That should give us time to get breakfast, exercise, and washed. Then afterwards we can go out to lunch and I was thinking maybe a trip to the beach if you're feeling up to it. I have an old friend I'd like to check in with."

"That sounds great. If I'm tired, I can always sleep in the car. How far is the beach?" She had hoped he'd opt to swing by the beach. After what he'd told her about how he'd met Tess, Caitlin felt that perhaps a quick trip might help him some.

"Only an hour," he assured her.

"Does this friend you want to see own the surf shop on your tee shirt?" With a confused look, he glanced down at his chest.

"Oh, yeah. How'd you guess?" He was blushing. Was it the fact that Caitlin had noticed his shirt or the fact that they were eating together, just the two of them?

"You were wearing one for the same shop the night we played games at Cisco's." Flashing a small smile, she continued to eat, trying not to look at him.

"Oh. I didn't realize," he trailed off. After a long sigh, he spoke up again. "I was living over the shop when Tess and I met. The shop owner was my landlord and one of my best friends. Chris had moved out a few weeks earlier. Eventually, Tess moved in with me. It was our first place together. Whenever her mother visited we'd pretend that we weren't sharing a room. Tess had her stuff in the other room, but my room was really ours."

He had a far away look in his eyes. Caitlin realized that he was facing emotions that perhaps he hadn't really dealt with in some time. She knew that Cisco had gotten him to talk some. Maybe it was just going to take baby steps. "We shared that apartment for a year. Then when we got married we moved into a little house we shared with Chris. People thought we were weird. We were all working at the same lab. Tess and I talked about breaking away. There was so much focus on weaponizing everything. Neither of us liked using our work that way. We had spent the day at the beach, just Tess and I, the day of the accident. We were driving home when the wheels blew out."

He wasn't looking at Caitlin. Instead he was looking back, into the past. Sadness was being replaced by anger. "I think the car flipped. I'm not sure. I lost consciousness. When I came to, there was a man. I begged him for help, but he told me that Tess had died centuries ago. Somehow, I managed to get out of the car and he attacked me. After I fought him off, I went back to Tess. She was barely alive, but I could hear the sirens getting closer." Closing his eyes, he turned away from Caitlin, tears falling free to suicide down his face. "I realize now, it didn't matter. All I succeeded in doing was buying her some time. She fought for a year, but eventually she told me it was time for us to say good bye." He sniffled, wiping a hand across his face.

There was silence. Suddenly, Harrison turned back to face Caitlin. He looked resigned. Swallowing a lump of emotion, he took a deep breath. "Do you know the last thing we talked about?" There was a long pause and Caitlin realized he was actually waiting for her to answer.

"No," she answered. She wasn't going to help him with this. He needed to face it on his own. She was just there for moral support. It was impossible for her to process his emotions or grieve for him. All she could do was be there.

"First she made me promise not to give up on the lab we'd talked about. Tess said I had to make it happen. It was in my stars." He laughed oddly. As though he was both bitter and happy. "But the last thing she told me was that I couldn't go through life alone. She said I had too much to give to just let myself burn up after she was gone." A snort sounded from him and he shook his head. "I don't know if she was aware of how much she was asking of me. Making the lab happen, that was easy. Letting other people in, that's been hard. Chris wormed her way under my skin. I admit, I tried to push her away first, but she can be," he paused and then smirked. "Tenacious. Other than her though, I've not let many past my barriers."

Silence fell and Caitlin realized he was done talking. There was something about the way he was sitting that suggested he was finish. He looked, deflated and defeated. Telling her everything had torn down his defenses and left him raw. "Well, I think I can safely say that Cisco is determined enough to work his way under your skin as well. You made the mistake of letting him use your washer and dryer. Doomed yourself with that move." Her dry statement drew a laugh from him.

"So I'm learning." He chuckled some more and started to really dig into his dinner. "Let's eat. Enough dwelling in my past." This seemed to change the mood, brightening the room. The tears still glistened on his cheeks, but he seemed to have let go of some of his pain. Greif was a strange beast and Caitlin was aware that it was different for everyone. At least she could be there for her boss.

They ate dinner in a much more relaxed atmosphere, Caitlin regaling Harrison with stories of her exploits with Cisco. The young engineer was a subject that seemed safe. Eventually though, she opened up about her father. This led to a discussion about watching the ones you love slowly fade away. There were more tears, some of them Caitlin's. It was hard to talk about her father, at first. However, Harrison was a good listener and the young doctor made it through her story. By the time they had talked themselves out, dinner was done and the dishes waiting in the hall to be picked up. With their eyes red from crying they said good-night and Caitlin listened to Harrison settling into the couch that Charlie had helped him make up. She waited until she heard him seem to get comfortable before she allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

 **Next Day**

The sun seemed to defy Harrison's mood by beaming down on them, making everything bright. Caitlin couldn't help but wonder what he was feeling. They'd arrived at the columbarium on time, with the director and another employee leading the way. Harrison had all the paperwork in order so they had wasted no time going to retrieve Tess's ashes. There were tears pricking in the corner of Harrison's eyes, but he stayed silent. Dressed in a black suit and dress shirt, he looked the appropriate part of the mourning husband.

Feeling like an intruder, Caitlin stayed back, watching from a distance. She watched them remove the urn from the nook and hand it off to Harrison. While Harrison took it in his hands, the maintenance man removed the plaque marking Tess's niche in the wall. Wiping a tear away, Harrison shifted the urn into one hand and took the marker in the hand that was free. "Thank you, very much," he said, emotion turning his voice.

"No problem Dr. Wells. Thank you for choosing the Garden of Peaceful Rest. If you need any help finding a new location for your wife to rest," began the director.

"Thank you, but no. I've decided she's going to be someplace private." Harrison declared, his gaze resting on the urn in his hands. "Would you excuse me for a moment?" Without looking at the rest of the group, he turned and quickly headed out to a little garden where a fountain was gurgling noisily.

For an awkward moment Caitlin stared at the two employees before excusing herself and going to follow Harrison. He hadn't gone far and she could see him leaning against the base of the far end of the circular fountain. In the heat of the day the splashing water added some much needed moisture to the air. Harrison had his head leaned against one hand, the urn and plaque sitting on the edge of the fountain next to him. Caitlin could tell he was crying. Opting to give him some space, she started towards a grassy area.

Perhaps she had become overconfident in her skill with the crutches. Maybe she managed to hit the one section that was still shaded and wet from morning dew. Whatever reason, her left crutch slipped out from beneath her and Caitlin flailed briefly before hitting the ground hard. Pain flared up from both her feet and she must have cried out.

"Cait?" Harrison's voice pushed through the haze of pain and she looked up from the face plant. "That looked painful. Take it slow. Where does it hurt?" Harrison was looking her over as he spoke, tears still glistening on his face.

It touched her heart that he would abandon his own pain as soon as he was aware of her's. "My hand, and my ankle," she declared, grimacing as more pain raced up.

"Right," he hummed to himself as he examined her leg and then her hand. "You've taken a layer of skin off of your hand. I think your leg is just hurting because it is still healing. You need to rest. Guess going out to lunch is off the books. Hang onto your crutches." Flashing a crooked grin, he scooped her up and carefully stood. "Think you can manage those, the ashes, and the plaque?" He nodded at her crutches and then over at the other two items.

Briefly she considered telling him to put her down, but the pain was enough that she couldn't form the words. All she managed was a nod of her head. Upon seeing the head nod, Harrison strode over to the fountain. Grunting some, he lowered her enough that she could grab the urn and plaque. "Good?" He studied her face briefly to make sure that she was ready. Once more, all she managed was a nod, but it was enough.

They arrived back at the hotel without incident. Much to Caitlin's amusement, Harrison had buckled the urn into the back passenger seat. It was, perhaps, the highpoint of the trip. They exited the car and Harrison carried her up to their room. Gently he deposited her on the bed. For a moment he stood a bit awkwardly, looking uncertain.

"Uhm, I think I could use a hot bath," Caitlin suggested.

"I'll go get one started," Harrison said, quickly whirling. He vanished into the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, Caitlin scooted to the edge of the bed. She'd made a little protective sleeve for her cast earlier, so with some effort, she retrieved it and started working it on over the bulky cast. From the bathroom came the sounds of water running. With a grunt of pain, Caitlin stood on her good foot, took up her crutches, and headed after Harrison.

"That's great," Caitlin said in the doorway, watching Harrison jump in surprise. He spun mid air, facing her as he landed. "Sorry, didn't mean to surprise you."

"No, no. It's fine," he assured her. "The water is running. Do you need me to do anything else before I leave?"

Caitlin shook her head. Looking around one last time, Harrison sighed and then left the room. Letting out a huff of air, Caitlin watched the door close and listened to the click. In a matter of minutes, she was undressed and languishing in the tub, her injured foot propped up on the edge so it would stay dry.

It was a wonderfully relaxing bath. The warmth seeped into her aching body, crutches were exhausting, and she felt like the heat chased some of the pain away. It wasn't until the water had become lukewarm and she was thinking of getting out that she came to a horrible realization. She was stuck in the tub. When plopping in, she had managed to land in such a way that she would need help to get out. That help could only come in one form.

"Harrison," she called out, embarrassment coiling in her stomach and making her blush.

"Yes?" He voice sounded right by the door after a moment of nerve-wracking silence.

"Can you come in please?" She was desperate, and her voice reflected her feelings. The door cracked, but no face appeared.

"Dr. Snow, I don't think that would be appropriate," he lectured, his voice pitching higher than usual and sounding squeaky.

"Dr. Wells, I require your assistance," Caitlin declared, trying to sound calm. "I can't get out of the bathtub."

"Oh," he responded, pausing to clear his throat. One of his hands snaked past the door and flailed around until it landed on a towel. Grabbing the towel, he pulled it out of the bathroom. A moment later the door opened all the way and Harrison entered, towel held high so his face was obscured. It amused Caitlin that he was a medical doctor and felt a need to hide her body.

"Careful," she called as he shuffled closer to her. "Stop there." He obeyed and lowered the towel to her hands, his head turned away. Taking the offered item, Caitlin covered herself, glad she had already drained the tub. "Alright, I'm covered."

"Oh, okay," he replied, a blush colouring his face red as he turned towards her. Swallowing visibly, he took in her situation. "So you need me to lift you out and get you to the bed." His eyes went wide. "And then leave you alone so you can get dressed!" Bright blue eyes going impossibly wider, he scrambled forwards and then froze.

"Yes. Out of the tub, and to the bed where I can safely and easily dress myself," Caitlin agreed, watching the blush come and go on his face.

Blushing completely and an even deeper red, Harrison moved to help her. As his hands slipped under her legs and she did her best to help, Caitlin wondered why she was so comfortable with the situation when her boss clearly wasn't. Perhaps it was because she'd been aware of her attraction for half a year now and it clearly wasn't going away. Even knowing that he wasn't attracted to her and was, in fact, dating Dr. McGee didn't change how she felt. Caitlin became absorbed in memorizing every aspect of the moment.

Later, she might blame exhaustion or medication. As Harrison lowered her onto the bed, all thought was gone from her mind when he leaned in to study her face. He was afraid he'd hurt her. To the surprise of both scientists, Caitlin leaned forwards and captured Harrison's lips with her own.

The moment didn't last long. Harrison scrambled away within seconds. A confused look on her face, Caitlin didn't realize what she had done at first. "I'm sorry, I can't," began Harrison, before he turned and fled from the room.

Sitting on the bed, stunned, Caitlin's eyes widened as she realized what she had done. Her brain kicked on and a million thoughts flew threw her mind. What the hell had she been thinking? How could she have thought that was okay? Was it the pain meds? What had Harrison thought and where had he gone? When would he be back? The questions continued to fly and with a groan of anger and despair, Caitlin flopped back on the bed.

Harrison hadn't returned by sundown. Caitlin tried to call him, but realized he had left his phone on the coffee table. She waited for him until she was too exhausted to stay awake. When she woke in the morning she peeked around the curtain and was shocked to see her boss stretched out asleep on the couch. He was wearing a pair of boardshorts and nothing else. His skin was much darker, leading Caitlin to assume he'd spent the rest of the day at the beach. On the coffee table next to him, his phone rang. Ducking back behind the curtain, Caitlin listened and wondered who would be calling.

On the other side of the curtain the phone continued to ring and Harrison groaned. A moment later he grunted a greeting. "Yeah?" Caitlin stayed silent, wanting to leave him be, but unable to avoid listening to the conversation. "How the hell are you so perky this early in the morning?" From the sound of his voice, Harrison was barely conscious. There was a rustle of linens. "Oh, don't lecture me about hydrating after drinking. I'm the one who taught you that."

There was a pause of silence. "Ha. Don't complain to me. I have sand everywhere," Harrison snarked. "Honestly, people who romanticize sex on the beach have never had sandy butt cracks." The scientist's complaint ended on a long groan. "It wasn't my fault," he retorted after a long pause. "If memory serves, it was your idea and you had your clothes off before me!" Biting her lip, Caitlin turned away from the curtain, her mind already summoning images of naked Harrison and his mystery caller.

"You're lucky Chris knows us. Otherwise she'd kick your butt for last night. Mine too. Yes, her's as well, though she and Chris are pretty tight." The single side of the conversation she was hearing wasn't helping Caitlin clear her thoughts. "No that would not be pleasant!" Harrison sounded horrified. "You have clearly forgotten what a butt kicking from Chris feels like. Either that or your kink is even bigger than I thought." The couch creaked and Caitlin could hear the soft whisper of Harrison's bare feet on the carpet.

"Ah crap," he grumbled, his voice sounding farther away. "Did I leave my pants there?" Despite the distance, Caitlin could hear a deep rumbly laugh issue from the phone.

A put upon sigh sounded from Harrison. "Will you stop laughing at me you big lug?" The laughter died down. "Thank you. Now, will you please look and see if my boxers are on the floor there?" As he spoke, Harrison's voice came closer. It made Caitlin wonder if he was pacing the room.

"They aren't?" Another sigh sounded. "No, ask her when she wakes. No point in waking her up, unless you just want someone else to laugh at me." A soft chuckle sounded and then there was a long pause, punctuated by the sound of Harrison flopping down into the chair. "Seriously, thank you. What you two did for me yesterday and last night, well, I needed it. I'm not sure anyone else could have done that for me."

Another silence, this one lasting a full minute. "Of course," Harrison began, his voice light and almost cheerful now. "You got me so drunk I barely remember a good chunk of the day. That will be fun explaining to Caity. She's going to think I'm a lunatic drunk." Peaking around the curtain, Caitlin gazed at the back of her boss's head. Draped in the chair that faced away from the bedroom, he had his back to her as he stretched his long form across the plump livingroom piece.

"No, I vaguely remember getting the ashes. I know we came back to the hotel. Next thing I remember is the beach. What the hell did you two give me to drink?" As he talked, Harrison picked up the hotel pen and twirled it between his fingers. "You know what, I don't want to know. As fast and as drunk as I got, I'll believe whatever you say." Putting the pen down, he sat up. "Look, I have to go. We're driving back today and I'd rather not make the trip with sand in my butt crack." He chuckled and Caitlin let the curtain fall back into place.

He didn't remember the kiss. Sinking down to sit on the bed, Caitlin tried to figure out what she was feeling. A big part of her was ecstatic that there would be no fall out from her slip up. A small part was saddened that he didn't remember. She wanted to know what he had thought. Had he enjoyed the kiss? Based on his night activities, he and Dr. McGee had some openness in their relationship. Of course, she could be wrong. Maybe Harrison had relapsed into a prior relationship. Relationships? Shaking her head, Caitlin decided not to think about the phone conversation. Her phone buzzing helped clear her head.

The sound of the water turning on alerted Caitlin. Harrison was in the shower. Letting out a huff of air, Caitlin checked her phone. There was one new e-mail message and the other was a text. According to the e-mail, her apartment was ready for occupation. So, she could go home if she wanted. The text was from Dr. McGee. Apparently the other woman had finally finished in England and was expecting to be home Saturday morning. That meant that Caitlin just had to survive the drive home, one more night, and probably the morning.

Trying not to think, Caitlin dressed, brushed her hair, and repacked her bag. Pushing the curtain back, she went to the table and plopped down to figure out breakfast. She had just finished ordering when the bathroom door opened and her boss stepped out. A flimsy hotel towel wrapped around his waist was all he wore. It surprised Caitlin, after how he got her out of the tub. "So, you shouldn't see me but I can see you?" Her question seemed to pause him.

"Caity, good morning," he greeted her with a sheepish smile, one hand holding the towel in place. "Pardon my near-nudity. I was rather out of it when I returned last night. I'm afraid that most of the day is a blur. I hope I didn't do anything I shouldn't have." He looked mildly embarrassed about getting drunk enough to have blacked out.

"Nothing for you to be ashamed about," she said, tempted to stress that he'd been good, but abandoning the idea as she spoke. "I hope you didn't make the drive back from the beach drunk," she continued, giving him a stern look. It was definitely good that he'd apparently forgotten not only the kiss but the entire bathtub mishap.

"No. A friend drove me back while another followed in their car," he answered, ignoring her look as he went to the small bag he'd packed. "I hope that you were okay staying here alone. I vaguely remember you needing to rest, but I'm afraid the alcohol did in most of my memory for yesterday." As he spoke he busied himself with pulling out clothing. To Caitlin's shock, he then pulled his boxers on under the towel before letting the white fabric drop to the floor.

"Union Jack boxers?" Caitlin asked the question without thinking.

"Union Flag," Harrison lectured. "Generally it's called the Union Jack when flown on a ship." He was pulling jeans on now, pausing before buttoning as he blinked. "I think I have spent too much time with Chris. Her Dad was Royal Navy and always picking about it." Sighing, he grabbed a tee shirt and started pulling it on, talking through the fabric. "I figure we'll have breakfast and get on the road." His head emerged, hair messed up and glasses crooked. One would think he'd learned to take his glasses off before putting the shirt on.

"Sounds fine to me. I've ordered some blueberry pancakes. We can share. They should be here soon." Watching him struggle with his shirt, Caitlin pondered asking him more questions, but decided to let it sit. She'd escaped without having to deal with the kiss. Instead, she moved on to other topics. "So, the work is done on my apartment. If you want, I can go back tonight." Finally he smoothed his shirt in place, repositioned his glasses and started trying to fix his hair.

"Oh," he paused, a look passing across his face. "Thought Chris wanted you to stay with me until she got here."

"I never said that," Caitlin argued. "However, Dr. McGee did text me to tell me that she'll be arriving tomorrow morning."

"I should be fine for a night then," Harrison agreed. "Guess we should get packed while we wait for breakfast." He didn't look at her as he busied himself with gathering and packing his belongings. "I hope I left Tess in the car. If drunk me lost her, I'll be pissed at myself."

"We can make sure before we leave," Caitlin assured him. Somehow, she doubted that he got drunk and did whatever else with his friends while dragging around the urn.

"Right." They fell silent as they finished packing. Harrison staged their bags by the door and sighed. "Caity," he began, pacing the room. When had he started calling her that?

"Harrison, don't," Caitlin ordered. She could tell from the look on his face he was trying to thank her. "You needed a friend. Despite our employee-boss relationship, I think that outside of work we can be friends. Besides, you needed help and I'm a doctor. I couldn't leave you to suffer on your own."

"Right. Okay. I also wanted to apologize for dumping on you the way I did. You've now seen me at my physical and emotional worse. Makes me feel a bit, uh, vulnerable." He prowled about the room, apparently unable or unwilling to hold still.

"Harrison, you came to my rescue and carried me through the woods on your back, covered in mud, in the rain, ankle deep water, and never complained. Helping you deal with emotional trauma is the least I could do." She locked eyes with him, causing him to halt and stand still. She hated herself for kissing him. At least he didn't remember. Imagine the pain it would cause if it had.

For his part, Harrison's blue eyes didn't convey any emotion. As he studied Caitlin's fiery brown eyes he wondered what he had done to anger her. It was obvious she was upset about something. Clearly, his behaviour had left a sour feeling in her mind. Despite her reassuring words, Harrison felt certain that seeing him so unhinged over an event so old had killed something between them. Had she lost all respect for him? How long would it take for him to earn it back?

Sighing, he turned away, happy when there was a knock at the door. Answering it, he let roomservice enter and set up their breakfast. They ate in silence and made small talk as they finished packing, checked out, they were both disappointed to discover Charlie had the day off, and got on the road.

It was a long drive home. Traffic made it longer and while they maintained the friendly bickering and chatter, Harrison couldn't help but feel he had upset and disappointed Caitlin. For her part, Caitlin was pissed at herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. She was supposed to be helping Harrison while he dealt with his grief, not making him feel uncomfortable.

By the time they arrived at Harrison's house, it was late. Too exhausted to try to get home, Caitlin accepted Harrison's offer of the guest room once more. She was determined to get up and be out of the house before her boss awoke. She needed time to think. If she couldn't control herself around him, then she shouldn't be around him.

Early Saturday morning, she tried to quietly leave the house. "Trying to sneak out?" Harrison asked, leaning casually against the front door. Caitlin hadn't heard him wake. To find him dressed in swim trunks and another surf shop shirt, this time it was purple, was a surprise.

"No, I just didn't want to wake you," Caitlin assured him.

"I see. Did I do something wrong?" He was studying her intently. There was an odd look on her face.

"No, I did," Caitlin declared. After a moment of awkward silence, she plowed forwards. She wouldn't admit to the kiss, but she had to say something. "I'm sorry, Dr. Wells. I thought I was no longer attracted to you, but this weekend has proven me wrong. I think I need some time to myself. My doctor said I can return to work Wednesday, so I will see you then." A cab pulled up in front of the house, quickly sounding the horn.

"I see. Well, thank you, Dr. Snow, for helping me keep my sanity this week," Harrison finally said. Stepping aside, he turned his back on her as he opened the door. "I'll get your bag." In silence, he followed Caitlin to the cab, helping the cabbie with the bag and ensuring that Caitlin got in the cab okay.

As he stood watching the vehicle drive away, it started to rain. It was still raining when Dr. McGee pulled up in front of the house and let herself inside. "Harrison," she called his name as she walked down the hallway. There was no answer but she could hear the rain clearly, as though a door or window was open. Finding the door to the patio with only the screen closed, she pushed it aside and then pulled it back into place as she stepped out onto the patio. The blue hammock was slowly swaying.

"You're sopping wet," she observed as she came over. To her surprise, Harrison looked up with a smile. "A smile?"

"Hey, Bossy," he greeted her. "Yes, a smile."

"Right, bunch over. I'm joining you and you are going to explain yourself." With a bit of effort, she joined him in the hammock, Harrison's feet tucked under her shoulders and her feet tucked under him.

"Good trip?" He asked innocently. Nudging him with her feet, she shook her head.

"My travels were most productive, but not the topic. You look remarkably well considering that we just passed the 13 year mark." She studied him. "What happened that I could never make happen?"

"Nothing and everything." Shifting in the hammock, Harrison grabbed a string and pulled, releasing a canopy that had been rolled and tucked against the wall. "I realized something this weekend." He fell silent, listening to the sound of the rain on the canvas canopy.

"Give," Chris demanded.

"Tess wouldn't like seeing me like that. She'd want me to be happy; to move on. Wouldn't she?" He gave Chris a questioning look.

"That's it? After 12 years of me telling you that, and a year prior of Tess telling you that while she was in hospital, it finally penetrates your thick skull? Of course she would want you to be happy. She loved you. Sometimes you are utterly gormless." Shaking her head, Chris smiled. "Still, I do love you so." With a small smile, Harrison nudged her with a foot.

"Does this mean your travels can now be the topic of discussion?" With a laugh, the female scientist nodded and they moved on with their talk. Their laughter occasionally punctuating the air.

 **Wednesday**

It felt nice to return to work. Caitlin was just settling into her chair when Cisco came bounding into her lab. "You're back. Excellent. I have to tell you, this place is awful without you." They had spent Sunday hanging out at Caitlin's apartment and discussing the "KISS" as they had dubbed it. "Also, if I hadn't seen Dr. Wells a week ago, I wouldn't know anything had happened."

"Well, I'm glad that whatever he did without me helped him," Caitlin said, trying not to ponder the threesome that had ended with her boss's underwear missing and sand all over.

"You really think he had a threesome on the beach?" Cisco had heard all about the phone conversation.

"The conversation didn't leave much to the imagination," Caitlin added. Cisco's phone beeped and he glanced at the new text message.

"Oh man," he muttered.

"What?"

"Ted just heard from his sister-in-law that Dr. McGee got engaged over the weekend," Cisco declared, watching Caitlin in concern.

"What?" Caitlin couldn't believe it, but Cisco showed her the text just as an image of Dr. McGee showing off her ring arrived.

"Think you may have done too good of a job," Cisco muttered, while Caitlin's heart sank. Silence enveloped the room.


	13. Chapter 13 - Chapter 8: Home Invasion

_**Hallo! Welcome to the next chapter. I'd like to dedicate this chapter to DoctorHarrisonWells, who is having a miserable day. I've been over and over this chapter so that everything is starting to blur together. I apologise for any errors. I'd also like to let you all know that I previously made an error. This chapter and previous chapters take place in 2013. By my calculations, the accelerator was turned on in December of 2013 so this story has currently covered December 2012 - to now September 2013. Let me know what you think! - Troll**_

 **Chapter 8: Home Invasion**

Caitlin glared at the house as Cisco parked the car. With a worried look, the young engineer glanced at his passenger. "Cisco," Caitlin began, her voice deadly. "I thought you said we were going to a Labour day picnic. Why are we at Dr. Wells's house?"

"Because the picnic is in his backyard," Cisco said slowly, wondering how angry Caitlin would get.

"No," Caitlin declared, shaking her head. With an irritated sigh, Cisco stared at the ceiling a moment before turning in his seat to face her.

"Caitlin, look," he began, trying to contain his irritation. "You've been avoiding Harrison for three months. All because you kissed him!" He spoke with his hands, waving them wildly as he let all the pent-up frustration out. "Now he thinks you hate his guts because you saw him while he was grieving! I love you, but you are missing out on life! Talk to the man."

"I do!"

"Work doesn't count. We both know that he has a strict policy about work behaviour. I don't want you to talk to Dr. Wells. I want you to talk to Harrison Wells. The guy who let's me use his washer and dryer. A man who has continued to invite all three of us to game nights." Cisco was shaking his head. "Hell, he hired Ted as the new physical engineer and gave me credit for referring Ted! That's like a thousand dollar bonus!"

"He's engaged and I think I love him," Caitlin said, dropping the bomb she had discovered three months ago. "Cisco, the only other person I trust and care about more is you! You and Ted have become my best friends. Please try to understand that I don't want to be the girl in the movies who makes a fool of herself because she is in love with the happily engaged guy."

"For reals? You know there are movies where the guys are the fools. Hell, there's a freaking tv show about some guy in love with a woman who doesn't love him. Best part about it are her best friend and the stupid bets he makes with his best friend." Shaking his head, Cisco got back on track. "Tons of shows and movies have that plot. Wouldn't it be better to at least have his friendship?" A motorcycle pulled up next to the car, the rider waving at Caitlin and Cisco.

Removing his helmet, Ted leaned down and knocked on Cisco's window. "Alright, you guys made it," Ted greeted them excitedly as Cisco opened the door. "Caitlin, we've missed you at game nights," he nagged, moving around to the passenger door and opening it. He had a backpack strapped tightly to his back.

When Caitlin glared out at him, Ted glanced to Cisco. The other man was climbing out of the car, a bowl of dip and a container in hand. "Yeah, she's pissed," Cisco confirmed. "I didn't tell her where we were going and apparently she realized she loves Harrison when she kissed him three months ago."

"Cisco," Caitlin hissed, annoyed that he was sharing.

"Aw, Cait, don't be angry," Ted said, offering her a hand. "Being in love is rough. I promise I won't tell Harrison. Come have fun." With a grumpy look, Caitlin took the offered hand and stepped out of the car. "That a girl!" Grinning boyishly, Ted tucked Caitlin's hand through the crook of his arm. "Cisco, would you care to help me escort this beautiful woman inside?" His gallant attitude made Caitlin smile.

Closing the car doors, Cisco juggled the items he'd brought. With an elbow free, he offered it to Caitlin, and she took it. Both men locked gazes, nodded their heads, and started for the front door. Before anyone could ring the bell, one of the two front doors was pulled open. "Hey, it's the Three Musketeers!" Harrison said with a cheer and wide grin. Stepping back out of the way, he waved them inside.

Sandwiched between Cisco and Ted, Caitlin was ushered into the house and towards the kitchen. "I brought homemade chips and dip," Cisco declared as they stopped at the breakfast nook. The table was covered in food. "Holy Hannah! How many people are you expecting?" Eyes wide at the sight of so much food, Cisco looked up at his boss.

Chuckling, Harrison shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah, about that, I haven't really entertained in years. I may have gone a bit overboard. Until Cisco's game night, it was usually just Chris and I. This is the first time since that I've hosted." He waved at the food. "Dig in, I'll get the grill going. What do people want for protein?" Clapping his hand together, he looked from person to person.

"Cheeseburger," Cisco declared as he found space for his chips and dip.

"Oh, are the chips homemade?" Harrison's eyes widened as he took in the new food.

"Yep," Cisco agreed. "Don't worry, you can have the dip. I didn't put any avocadoes in it. I don't want to bring down the wrath of Chris."

"I like avocado," Harrison grumbled. With a laugh, Ted slapped the taller man on the shoulder.

"You're allergic to them," the blond reminded their host. "Where's Chris?" At the question, Caitlin tried hard not to growl or groan or otherwise express her inherent distaste for the woman who had won Harrison's heart.

"England," Harrison answered, blowing air through his lips in a rather rude fashion. "She keeps going back like it's where she grew up or something." Shaking his head, he watched Ted pull several containers out of his bag. "Oh, fresh fruit."

"Yeah, no watermelon. I didn't want to get in trouble either." Grinning, Ted opened the containers and laughed as Harrison snatched a strawberry and started to stroll away.

"Why would you get in trouble for watermelon?" Caitlin frowned.

"Because Harrison insists on eating it despite being allergic to it," Ted said, raising his voice so that the man in question could hear him.

"It's too good not to eat!" Harrison bellowed back before stepping out onto the patio.

"That man is going to kill himself eating something he is allergic to someday," Ted said, laughing and pulling something red from his bag. "I'm going to get changed into my swimsuit. Weatherman says today is the last day of this warm sunny weather."

"Good call," Cisco agreed. "Come on Caitlin, I'll show you where you can get changed." Letting out a put upon sigh, Caitlin allowed her best friend to drag her through the house towards the bedrooms. Apparently there were some advantages to being the CEO of one of the largest scientific companies out there. Harrison lived very comfortably in a four bedroom house, complete with gym, office, and a lab space. Cisco talked as he gave her the tour, which she didn't get when she was there earlier in the year.

"You should see his private lab downstairs! It actually extends down and out. I think it might even tap into the river, which is like a quarter a mile away." Cisco was grinning widely as he showed Caitlin around. "Apparently he and Tess had bought the house well before he moved out here. They were using it as a summer home or something like that. I guess Tess had inherited some money when her dad died and they used that to buy the house." He shrugged, uncertain of all the details.

"This house is huge," Caitlin observed. "I'll just change in the guest room I stayed in last time I was here."

"Okay. I'm going to head back to the master bedroom. Apparently last time I was here using his washer and dryer, I missed my swim trunks. Harrison said he'd have them set out for me." Still grinning madly, he headed down the hall. "See you out on the pool deck."

A few minutes later, Caitlin took several deep breaths before stepping out onto the patio. She wasn't sure she was ready to face her boss. The kiss she'd shared with Harrison three months earlier had made a huge impact on her life, and done practically nothing to the man she'd kissed. Their work lives had always been professional, so that hadn't really changed. What had changed was their interactions outside of work. While previously the two had shared an open and comfortable friendship when they weren't working, Caitlin had stopped it all when she'd found out Harrison had become engaged to Dr. Tina McGee. Since that time, Caitlin had politely refused all invitations to spend time with Harrison and the rest of the group. Cisco and Ted had continued to socialize with the two older scientists. Caitlin just couldn't bring herself to see the happy couple together.

"Caitlin," Cisco called out cheerfully, spotting her hiding in the house. "Come on, the water feels great!" With a gleeful shout, he jumped into the water. Ted was also already outside, lounging on a deck chair and chatting with Harrison. Their host was at the grill, wearing an apron and a white chef's hat which read "Saw Bones" in red puff paint on the band.

"Ah, Cisco, what kind of cheese do you want on your burger?" Their boss asked, glancing up at them as he flipped burgers.

"American," Cisco called out.

"That isn't cheese! That's processed cheese product," Harrison argued. It earned him an irritated splash from the engineer. Meanwhile, Ted brought Caitlin a beer. Together, the two sat down, Caitlin taking the lounger next to the blond.

"So," Ted said softly, glancing over at their host. "You're really stuck on Harrison, huh?"

"Hush," Caitlin lectured, her eyes going wide as she glanced over at the grill master. Unaware of the conversation, the scientist was dancing along to the music as he continued to man the grill.

"He can't hear us," Ted argued.

"Ted, he is engaged to Dr. McGee and I kissed him when I was supposed to be helping him get over the death of his wife," the doctor hissed at her companion.

"Cait," Ted began. "I love spending time with you, but you really need to stop worrying about what you did wrong. Harrison thinks you hate him because you saw him at his worst. The kiss is lost in a blur of alcohol induced memory loss."

"Yes, which he obtained while having sex on the beach with two other people," Caitlin whispered back.

"Caity, hotdog, burger, linguica, steak? Name your roasted dead animal of choice," Harrison said, looking over at them. With a sigh, and some encouragement from Ted, Caitlin stood and started towards her boss. Perhaps Ted and Cisco were right. She did need to get over herself. Even knowing Harrison was engaged, she loved spending time with him. She couldn't deny the smile that was struggling to pop up as she watched the man's antics.

"I'll have a hotdog," she decided, stopping a few feet from the grill. A little squeak erupted from Harrison as he looked up at her and jumped. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. What is linguica?"

"Portuguese sausage. Try some. It's lovely." Harrison held up a red looking sausage and Caitlin frowned at it. Somebody called Harrison's name from inside the house. Frowning, the quartet looked towards the patio door.

"Harrison dear, are you home?" An older woman opened the screen door and stepped out onto the deck. Her white-streaked blond hair was pulled back high on her head and she wore a bright purple swimsuit with a pair of white jean shorts over it. A large bag hung from the crook of her arm, and she pulled her sunglasses down as she took in the group outside. "Oh, dear. I didn't mean to crash a party."

"Mom," another voice called out, sounding irritated and angry. "Mom, where the hell are you?" A teenage girl stepped out onto the deck.

"Grandma, Mom's being a jerk," the teen said, glaring back the way she'd come. "Why the hell did we have to bring her again? And where are we?" The young woman glared around at her surroundings. She looked to be fourteen, maybe fifteen years old. Harrison stared at the two, everything else forgotten. He'd seen pictures of Tess as a teen and the youth who stood just inside his home now could have passed for his wife at the same age.

"Because she's your mother, Kelly," Sharon Morgan lectured her granddaughter. "And we're at your Uncle Harrison's house." Looking annoyed and sullen, the teen rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, right. Whatever." The teen glared back into the house as another woman came out, a young boy tightly holding her hand, followed by a girl and boy of perhaps ten.

"Mom, must we come here today? You know we hate traveling during the holidays," Jessica, Tess's sister and the young teen's mother complained. "Kelly, I asked you to help with your siblings." This was whined at the sullen teen.

"No, Mother, you hate it. We hate being stuck at home all the time. And my name is Jesse." Glaring at the two adults, the teen plucked up the young boy hanging onto his mother's hand. "Also, you didn't ask for my help. You told me to catch Grandma and hold the door open!" Glaring briefly at her mother, Jesse then looked to the toddler in her arms. "What do you say Stink Master? Am I right or is Mommy?"

"Jesse!" With a shout, the toddler latched onto his older sister and blew a raspberry at his mother.

Caitlin was staring at the newcomers when the smell of something burning reached her nose. Frowning, she looked over at Harrison. "Harrison, you're on fire." Jumping, she grabbed up a glass of water and lunged, tossing it on her boss's arm, where hair and possibly flesh were burning.

"Hot, hot," Harrison yelped, dropping the tongs he'd been using to man the grill. He'd been so shocked to see his mother-in-law, sister-in-law, nieces, and nephews that he hadn't noticed he'd let his arm get a little too close to the hot grill.

"Oh, Harrison, dear," Sharon said, doing a little shuffle over to her son-in-law.

Cisco had also jumped out of the pool, grabbing a towel and running back towards the house. "I'll get the first aid kit," he called over his shoulder as he ran. He disappeared into the house, leaving wet footprints on the deck.

"Alright, we need to flush this with cold water," Caitlin said, studying the damaged skin.

"Oh, put some ice on that," Jessica said. Behind her, Jesse made a face and shook her head.

"You should see a doctor Harrison, that looks bad," Sharon added.

"I am a doctor," Harrison snapped back. "I know how to treat a burn. Caitlin is a doctor too. She knows what the hell she's doing!" He glared at his sister-in-law and took a few deep breaths.

"Here, I'll man the grill," Ted said, stepping up. "Cait, you two go on inside and tend to that. I'll take care of the new arrivals." He smiled easily at her and waved them away.

"Right. Thank you, Ted," Harrison managed a weak smile.

"I have the first aid kit," Cisco called from the screen door.

"Okay, get out a sterile, non-stick bandage, and see if there's any burn ointment," Caitlin instructed. "Harrison and I are going to come rinse it in the sink."

"Yeah," Harrison agreed. "Cold water." Handing the tongs to Ted, who also swiped the chef's hat, he allowed Caitlin to guide him into the house. Sharon followed them inside as Cisco stepped aside, going to the sink and turning the cold water on, before moving to the kitchen island and opening up the first aid kit.

"Harrison dear," Sharon began. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to give you a shock." She watched attentively as Caitlin shoved Harrison's arm into the running water. "I didn't know you'd have friends over."

"Uhm," Harrison managed. "Sharon, my mother-in-law, Dr. Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon, and outside is Ted."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Cisco said. "Don't worry about the burn. Caitlin is a great doctor. She'll patch Harrison right up."

"Cisco?" Sharon studied the young man. He wasn't what she'd expected. After he set out the items Caitlin had asked for, he was getting a drink for Harrison knowing exactly where everything was stored. "Well, you seem to know your way around the house."

"Uh, I'm over a lot," Cisco admitted. "Nice to meet you." He dipped his head and then went over to Caitlin and Harrison. "You guys need anything? If not, I'm gonna go 'cause burns make me squeamish."

"We're fine. I can handle this," Caitlin assured Cisco softly. Nodding, the young engineer bolted for the door.

"Everything medical makes you squeamish," Harrison called after the rapidly retreating Ramon. Smirking, he turned his attention to Caitlin. She was giving him a look. "What? It's true. He couldn't even watch Scrubs with me," he argued.

"Just hold still while I treat this," Caitlin lectured. Focusing on the task at hand, she let the sudden arrival of Harrison's extended family fade from thought. "Okay, looks like a second degree burn. I know you know how to care for it, but I also know you. That said, no swimming today, change the bandage if it gets wet or soiled, and let the water run over it for at least 20 minutes."

"Yes dear," grumbled Harrison. His gaze flicked to the children outside. Cisco seemed to have worked some sort of magic and the gaggle of Jessica's offspring was laughing. "Cisco appears to have found some friends."

"Goodness, he even has Kelly, uh, Jesse smiling, " Sharon observed. Turning back from watching outside, she studied all the food on the table. Harrison was giving her an unreadable look while Caitlin was drying her hands.

"I'll set a timer on my phone and come back to help you bandage it after 20 minutes," Caitlin said stiffly. She didn't know how to act with Harrison, his extended family, or the fact that he and Dr. McGee were engaged. Did his in-laws know about the engagement? How awkward was it that Harrison was engaged to a woman he had been friends with while his first wife was alive? Deciding that it was best if she avoided her boss as much as possible, Caitlin gave him one final stern look before heading back out to the pool.

"She's a bit cold," Sharon stated once it was just her and Harrison.

"Cisco dragged her here," Harrison admitted. "I'm afraid she doesn't think much of me after seeing me break down over Tess." He could have left that part out, but Sharon was the closest thing he had to a mother and he knew her well enough to know she'd find everything out eventually. Why she had suddenly decided to be part of his life escaped him, but clearly she wasn't letting him get away again.

"Give her time dear," Sharon ordered, turning her attention from the cold woman. "I'm sorry I didn't call ahead. I only convinced Jessica this morning. Don't worry about where we're staying. I got us rooms at a hotel."

"It's a 2 hour drive from your place. How late were you planning on staying?" Harrison hadn't meant to blurt the question, but the idea of dealing with Jessica all day was terrifying.

"Well, Harrison dear, your nieces and nephews have never met you. I thought it would be good if you took a weekend to get to know them," Sharon lectured. At that moment, the sliding door was opened and the sullen teen entered with her sibling on her hip.

"Grandma, Mom is trying to tell Cody and Jenny not to talk to Cisco," the teen reported. "She thinks he's a bad influence or something."

"Cisco?" Harrison couldn't keep the shock from his face. "I'll admit he has some poor eating habits, but he's the smartest man I know. Is Jessica afraid he'll rub off on you guys and make you smarter?"

"Harrison!" Sharon looked scandalized as she glared at her son-in-law before going out to talk to her daughter. The teen remained, fixing her blue eyes on Harrison. Beneath her gaze, he squirmed.

"Sorry about that," he tried after the silence had stretched into two minutes.

"Daddy," the child in the teen's arms declared. His green gaze was fixed on Harrison.

"No, Harry. Not daddy," the girl assured her little brother. Blinking rapidly, Harrison arched an eyebrow.

"Harry?" He wanted to ask more, but wasn't sure how to phrase the question.

"After Harry Potter," the teen clarified. "Dad is nutty for the books and when Harry was born the doctors said he wouldn't make it."

"Ah, The Boy Who Lived," Harrison said, catching on.

"Grandma convinced Dad to make it a nickname. His full name is Harrison. His twin, Tess, was stillborn." She spoke eventually, leveling an unreadable look at her uncle.

"That sucks," Harrison blurted, uncertain what else he should say. It was a shock that his mother-in-law had convinced her family to name children after Tess and Harrison. Clearing his throat, Harrison pushed on in the conversation. "We weren't properly introduced." He offered a hand to Harry. "Dr. Harrison Wells. Feel free to call me Harrison."

"I Haddy," the toddler declared with a giggle as he gooed the offered hand with his own.

"He's teething," his sister explained with a smile.

"Not a problem," Harrison assured her, thrusting the now sticky hand under the running water. Drying it on a dish towel, he then offered his hand to the teen. "Harrison," he told her, hoping he would get some new emotion from the teen.

Arching an eyebrow, she glanced at the hand and suddenly grinned. "Can I call you Uncle Harry? That would really piss Mum off."

"Jessica? Of course, anything to irritate her," Harrison agreed, waggling his waiting hand.

"Jesse," she said, taking his hand firmly. "Mom and grandma try to call me by my middle name. Mostly because Mom thinks Jesse is a boy's name." A smirk tugged at her lips.

"Interesting. Is she aware that Kelly translates into-"

"War!" Jesse blurted, apparently pleased that her uncle knew. "And it can be masculine or feminine."

"Indeed," Harrison agreed.

"Nice to meet you Uncle Harry," Jesse declared, giving his hand one last pump.

"You hold me Untal Haddy," Harry ordered, holding his hands out towards Harrison.

"Can you ride a single hip? Dr. Snow will be most upset with me if she finds out I didn't leave my arm under the water for 20 minutes." Harrison couldn't hide the jumble of emotions everything had caused, so he just went with it. It felt odd that the toddler had taken to him so easily.

"Here." Shifting around, Jesse deposited the toddler onto Harrison's hip so that the adult could hold the child in place with his free arm. "Good?" She stood studying the man and child and seemed pleased with what she found.

"Yes. That's excellent," Harrison agreed, gazing at the face of the little boy in his arms. Harry had chubby cheeks, green eyes, and dark hair. It seemed to Harrison that the child had been named well.

"Any chance you have easy to eat food? Mom forgot to pack food for Harry, of course," Jesse said, suddenly switching subjects. Upon mentioning her mother, the teen rolled her eyes.

"Oh, uhm," Harrison frowned, looking around the kitchen. "I think I have some applesauce, and Cisco brought over pudding the other day." Biting at his lip, he stared at the floor as he thought, not catching the bemused look on the teen's face. "Oh, can he manage spaghetti? I have some from last night."

"Might be a bit messy," Jesse declared. "But I think we can make it work."

"Second shelf towards the front of the fridge," Harrison informed her, watching her find her way around the kitchen. He shifted his weight, annoyed at not being able to do more.

"So," Jesse began as she found what she needed and started searching for plates.

"Shelf to your left," Harrison directed. "So yourself."

"How come you've never had us visit before?" Finding a plate, Jesse grinned, amused that she'd found a children's plate with the muppet Animal on it. "I mean, I'm 14 and never even knew about you."

"I'm not really part of the family any more," Harrison answered with a shrug. "Yes, that's my nose." He grunted as Harry took hold and started investigating.

"Seriously? Once Grandma decides you're part of the family, she never lets you out. What did you do?" She got a plate set out, amused at how her brother had taken to their Uncle.

"Married her daughter and survived the car crash that Tess didn't," Harrison answered bluntly.

"That's kind of harsh," Jesse mused, looking around for a cup. "Any non-breakable cups?"

"Travel mugs," Harrison replied after some thought. "Cabinet next to the fridge, above the coffee maker," he instructed. "And to be honest, Sharon never really took to me. I think she wished Tess had married someone else. Once Tess had died, I didn't see the point in staying in touch. I'm not part of the family any more."

"Not according to Grandma. You do realize she worries constantly about you? Can this plate be microwaved?"

"Just microwave the container. To be honest I hadn't realized Sharon even thought about me outside of holidays until I called about moving Tess's remains. "

"I guess I could understand that. So, who are the trio outside?" With a calm smile, Harrison started chatting about his friends.

Out by the pool, Caitlin watched Cisco interact with the two middle children. From what she had gleaned, the young blond haired girl was named Jenny while the red headed boy was her twin brother, Cody. The two were laughing and ignoring their mother while they romped in the pool with Cisco. Ted was still manning the grill, studying Caitlin intently. "So, will you be trying this Portuguese sausage that Harrison recommended?"

"Sure. Did you know he had all these nieces and nephews?" Cisco really was great with kids. Caitlin knew she was trying a bit too hard to not think about Harrison.

"I think Cisco mentioned that he went to pieces when Sharon over there pointed out that Harrison was the best way for the kids to find out about Tess," Ted answered, casually flipping a burger before taking a sip of his drink. "So, you've been avoiding Harrison for three months. Planning to actually treat him like a human being anytime soon?"

"Ted!" Caitlin couldn't help but feel embarrassed and a little angry. Before either could respond, her phone alarm went off, signaling that the 20 minutes were up. Glowering at her friend, Caitlin stood. "I have to go bandage up Harrison's arm."

"Tell him hello for me," replied Ted with a childish grin. Shooting a glare over her shoulder, Caitlin shook her head and stalked towards the house.

"Oh, clown face," Harrison's voice and laughter floated to Caitlin's ears as she entered the house. Crossing her arms, she glared at the scene which greeted her. Seated at the far end of the breakfast nook table, her boss and his niece were helping a sauce covered toddler eat. They didn't notice Caitlin standing there until the doctor cleared her throat.

"Busted," Jesse said with a small grin.

"No, no," Harrison argued. "Because I had the burn under the water until a few minutes ago and Caity didn't start her timer until a few minutes after we started treating the burn." He trailed off under Caitlin's glare.

"It's your skin," Caitlin finally declared. Shaking her head in irritation, she started for the door. In all honesty, it wasn't Harrison she was angry with but herself. Why wouldn't she get past her attraction to him?

"Come on, Caity," Harrison grumbled, scrambling to go after her. "Just give me the benefit of the doubt," he begged. With a dramatic sigh, Caitlin stopped and turned back to her boss. He was giving her a childish look, perhaps mimicking the sauce covered toddler. Seeing that he had her attention, Harrison continued, "I can't wrap it myself." He thrust his injured arm forwards.

"Fine," Caitlin grumbled, annoyed by how much she liked his pet name for her. Coming back into the kitchen, she collected the supplies and setup on the bar. "Next time,I expect you to do as I tell you," she nagged as he came over to sit on the barstool closest to her.

"It's my fault, Dr. Snow, "Jesse declared. ''I asked Uncle Harry to help me."

''All the same," Caitlin began. ''He should know belter. Honestly, the number of times I've treated you.'' She shook her head, quickly getting into the playful spirit of the room.

"I can't help it. I'm accident prone," Harrison protested. The grin on his face didn't match the hurt tone of his voice.

"Good thing you're friends with a doctor," Jesse replied, laughing at the mess her brother was making.

"I'm a doctor," Harrison protested. "Ouch, too tight." Wincing a little, he flexed his hand and then nodded as Caitlin adjusted the gauze she was wrapping around his arm to hold the bandage in place.

"Is there anything you can't do?" There was light tobe to the teen's voice.

"Grow a fetus inside my body. I leave that for the females of the species," Harrison answered, a smirk on his face. It earned him a smack to the bicep from Caitlin. "Ouch, what did I do to you?"

"Be nice to your niece," she ordered, suppressing a smile.

"Whatever you say," Harrison agreed. There was a clatter followed by the pure laughter of a child. The trio looked towards the table and Jesse gasp.

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry Uncle Harry! I'll clean it up right away!" Rushing to grab a paper towel, the teen then darted towards the floor. Reaching out, Harrison caught her by the shoulder.

"Jesse," he said her name calmly. "Calm down. I'm not angry."

"But I should have been watching him," Jesse said, fear and worry painting her face.

"You? I'm sorry, I thought you were just the extremely responsible older sister who liked to piss her mother off. He's what, two? Children make messes. Even I know that; being a large child I tend to make messes as well. Spaghetti on the floor is not the end of the world." With a grin and a shrug, he took the towel from the teen and pushed her towards Caitlin.

"But Mum always says he's my responsibility," Jesse mumbled. While Caitlin had only known the teen for a few minutes, it seemed odd to see the girl go from spunky and defiant to practically shaking in terror.

"Did you sleep with some boy and get pregnant?" Harrison asked the question very bluntly. Blinking, the teen made a face and shook her head. "Then Harry is not your responsibility. Now, Caity, why don't you and Jesse go enjoy the pool. I'll clean up Harry's mess and he and I will be out to play in the sprinklers in a bit." With an easy smile, Harrison turned back to his nephew, directing his words to the boy.

"Come on," Caitlin said, gently taking the teen by the crook of her elbow. "Harrison isn't as big a kid as he claims. Your brother will be fine with him." They headed towards the door, Caitlin turning back to watch her boss deal with the toddler like a pro. It was just one more thing that made him so attractive. No matter the situation, he seemed to stay calm and in control. It looked as though nothing fazed him.

Outside, Jesse seemed to quickly forget her worries about her little brother as she joined the twins and Cisco in the pool. Caitlin sat on the edge, dangling her feet in and watching everything. The mother didn't even seem to notice the absence of the toddler, but Caitlin saw the grandmother, Sharon, head inside.

Eventually, Sharon and Harrison came outside with the toddler between them. Young Harry was covered in spaghetti sauce and the two adults were laughing and talking as they joined the rest of the party. Briefly Harrison vanished around the side of the house. A moment later, a sprinkler turned on, spraying a large grassy patch of the massive backyard. Squealing laughter sounded and the now nude toddler bolted for the water, his grandmother giving chase.

Soon almost everyone was darting in and out of the shower from the sprinkler and laughing. Only Jessica remained on the patio, sitting in the shade with a sour look on her face. Caitlin glanced at the other woman once or twice, but quickly lost herself to the joy of forgetting all her other worries and just playing in the water. It had been years since the doctor had let herself go and just completely be herself.

It was later afternoon when the large group slowed down and started eating. Harrison and Ted had taken turns working at the grill. Paper plates were set out and everyone filed through the house like a buffet, filling their plates with food and then exiting onto the patio. Caitlin sat as far from her boss as she could, but couldn't help watching him.

Something about being with his nieces and nephews changed Harrison Wells. Watching her boss cut up a cheeseburger and help little Harry eat it made Caitlin see him in a new light. It was almost surreal to see him in a basketball jersey and swim trunks. He rarely laughed at work and was always serious. Here, with his family, his boyish grin was constant and his laughter punctuated the air at his nephew's antics. If anything, it made him more attractive. Knowing that Harrison could be a regular guy and didn't lord his genius over anyone was appealing.

"Absolutely not!" Jessica's shout brought the laughter to a sudden end. Exchanging looks, Cisco and Ted slipped off into the yard, vanishing into the garden.

"Come on Mom! Uncle Harry said it was okay," Jesse argued, her face flush with anger.

"I don't care what that pervert said. There is no way in hell I am letting you or any of your siblings stay with him before Christmas!" Jessica threw her plate on the ground and stood.

"I want to see the accelerator turn on!" Jesse countered. "And he's not a pervert!"

"He is too! Jesus Kelly, haven't you been paying attention! He's dating an employee from his workplace! It is bad enough I had to let his boyfriend play with your siblings. I will not let you stay with him and become even more of a dyke!"

"Hey!" Harrison interjected, leaving Harry to Sharon's care and standing.

"The term is lesbian, Mother, and you know nothing about me." Throwing her food away, Jesse raced off the patio and into the yard.

"Now look what you've done," Jessica snarled at Harrison.

"Me? All I did was tell her it was okay with me. Regardless of what you think of me, treating your daughter that way is screwed up. Aren't you going to go talk to her?" A vein was standing out on Harrison's neck in a way Caitlin had rarely seen before. Feeling incredibly uncomfortable, she considered going to join Cisco and Ted, but she didn't want to draw attention to herself.

"Oh she'll get over herself." Dismissing her daughter with a wave of her hand, Jessica headed back into the house. "Mother, I'm ready to go whenever you are," she called from inside.

"Psychopath," Harrison grumbled softly before following after his niece.

His back yard was large but well kept. Having cared for it for ten years, he could navigate it blind, so found it easy to figure out where Jesse had gone. Uncertain what he would say to the young woman, he walked silently for a minute before finding her sitting on a bench near the bottom of the hill. Tears stained her face and she was kicking at a clump of grass. For a moment Harrison just stood silently.

"You know," he began softly, coming forwards and sitting on the other end of the bench. "Tess used to say that her sister was most beautiful when she was asleep." Jesse glared at him. "You have your Aunt's glower," he mused. Silence sat between them. With a sigh, Harrison gazed across at one of the plants. Thinking that the teen was just going to ignore him, he got to his feet.

"Are you gay?" The question seemed to flow out of Jesse and stopped Harrison in his tracks. Frowning, he thought long and hard before turning to answer her.

"Does it matter?" He studied the teen, wondering why she'd asked that question of the many possible.

"So you are dating Cisco?" Jesse was studying him intently now.

"No, I'm not. Cisco is a friend, but an employee first. I would never date anyone who worked for me," Harrison answered.

"But I thought you and Aunt Tess worked in a lab together," Jesse pointed out.

"See, that's different." She snorted and he held a hand up to get her to wait. "Let me finish. Tess and I were equals at that lab. It'd be like opening a store with your spouse. If I co-owned S.T.A.R. labs with somebody, I'd be willing to date him or her. To a degree. I have a very special rule about work behaviour at work."

"So, you're not dating Cisco?"

"No, Cisco is actually dating Caitlin. Which is fine with me. They seem to make each other happy and they can separate work and their personal lives. For some people that works." Harrison shrugged and studied the young woman. "Look, I know you're mother doesn't want you to have anything to do with me, but you can call me anytime you want. If you're really interested in seeing the accelerator, have your teacher contact me. Maybe we can arrange a trip for your entire class."

"Okay." Jesse nodded her thanks and they fell silent. "Uncle Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for not asking me about my sexual orientation." Arching an eyebrow, he smirked.

"No business of mine," he replied. "Ready to go finish eating?"

"Yeah." Hopping to her feet, Jesse considered him for a moment. "For an old dude, you're pretty cool." With a cheeky grin, she then darted off back towards the house.

"Hey! Who are you calling old!" Yelling, Harrison ran after her.

 **Back at Work**

It was late. Nearly everyone had gone home. Caitlin was enjoying the relative silence as she worked on a report about possible genetic impacts of certain SNPs within a gene. She'd been collaborating with another lab on the report and was trying to get it finished so they could get it published in a journal. While the weekend had turned out to be very enjoyable, despite Cisco dragging her to their boss's home and the little episode between Jesse and Sharon, Caitlin was happy to be back at work. Science didn't require emotions.

"Hey," Cisco called from the door. They had become close enough friends that she knew his voice anywhere. Perhaps the only other voice she recognized so quickly and easily was that of their boss.

"Hi," she agreed, not looking up from the data she was studying.

"Haven't seen much of you today. Are you okay?" He shuffled into the room. It was clear to Caitlin that something was bothering him.

"I'm fine. What's up with you?" Clicking save, she turned away from her computer and gave her entire attention to her friend.

"So, you remember when Dr. Wells and Jesse went to the backyard?" He had his left arm hanging by his side, hugging it to his body with his right. Instead of speaking, Caitlin just nodded. "Yeah, Ted and I were sort of just over the other side of the hill and heard them talking."

There was a pregnant pause as Caitlin considered what he could be building up to telling her about. Had the two men overheard something horrible or negative? "Okay." She didn't push. It was clear that Cisco wanted to talk about what he'd heard.

"Did you know that Dr. Wells thinks we're dating?" Pursing her lips together, Caitlin nodded. "What? Why does he think that?"

"Possibly because he saw us at the ski lodge during couples weekend," Caitlin suggested. "He'd mentioned something about us as a couple a while back. I didn't bother to correct him. I can, if it bothers you."

"No, I just didn't know he thought that. Any idea why his family thinks he and I are a couple?" There was still something else bothering him. Caitlin knew him too well to miss it.

"Possibly because you are always over there. You know that house better than you do my apartment," Caitlin pointed out. "What's really bothering you?"

With a sigh, Cisco stepped farther into the room and then started pacing. "Okay, check it. Harrison told Jesse that he would never date anyone who worked for him. Never once did he mention Dr. McGee and the engagement. Do you think he likes somebody here but won't ask them out because he's the boss?"

"No, Cisco. I think that he's engaged to Dr. McGee and he just told Jesse that so she'd understand why when she finds out who he's going to marry. I mean, it might seem odd to some people for the CEO's of rival companies to get married." Caitlin smiled gently at him, amused at Cisco still thinking that she and Dr. Wells were supposed to get together.

"Maybe, but what if he's been ignoring his attraction to you because your boss and employee?" Cisco was practically bouncing with nervous energy. Caitlin took a moment to think her answer through. She didn't want to make him feel bad for feeling hopeful for them.

"Cisco, Dr. Wells is a wonderful man. While I will probably always find him attractive, there's nothing there for us. Besides, I have you." Smiling, Caitlin stood and stopped him by placing a hand on each shoulder. "I love you Cisco. You're the greatest thing that ever happened to me."

"Aw," Cisco grinned at her. "Come on. You need to eat. You can work on your polymorphisms tomorrow." Taking her hand from his shoulder, Cisco started for the door. As they moved, Caitlin accidentally knocked something over.

"Damn. Hang on." Both stopped and knelt to quickly clean the mess. A moment later, they stood, washed their hands and left the lab.

As their footsteps clattered down the hallway to the elevator, somebody moved down one of the halls. Once the ding of the elevator sounded and the chatter of the two vanished, Dr. Wells stepped forwards. He'd been heading to talk to Caitlin when Cisco's voice had floated down the hallway. Not one to interrupt young love, Dr. Wells had stopped and waited until the conversation was over. Now, he felt oddly sick to his stomach. He didn't know why. After all, the conversation had been a short one between two people who loved each other. So why did Dr. Wells feel like he'd just taken a punch the guts.

Pulling out his phone, he pulled up the contact for Chris. A smiled tugged at his lips as he texted her, heading for the stairs. Glancing once at the elevator and trying to ignore the lingering scent of Caity's perfume, he shoved the fire door open and texted a meeting time and place to Chris. She could always make him feel better.


	14. Chapter 9: Witch's Brew - October 2013

_**Salutations everyone! I decided to shock everyone by posting the next chapter in less than two months! I've found that as I've drawn closer to the explosion at the lab, I get more interested and into it. If you're following other stories of mine, have no fear, I'm still working on those as well. That said, I have in-laws visiting this weekend, so I'm not sure how much writing I'll be doing. Big thanks to everyone who has pm'd me or left me reviews. You've helped keep me motivated! - Troll**_

 **Chapter 9: Witch's Brew - End of October 2013**

It was crowded. People in costumes were browsing the buffet, dancing, sitting on couches and chairs, drinking, and generally filling the entirety of the rented hall. Letting out a sigh, Caitlin adjusted her tunic and looked around for Cisco and Ted. The trio had agreed to meet up at the annual S.T.A.R. and Mercury labs Halloween mixer. The two engineers had convinced her to join in on their group costume and now Caitlin was trying to find the two other matching costumes in the sea of merrymakers.

"Caitlin!" Cisco's voice carried over the crowd. Following the sound, Caitlin waved at the two Musketeers working their way towards her. Joining her fellow Musketeers, the doctor hugged them both. "You look great," Cisco told her.

"You guys look wonderful too. Have you seen anyone else?" She spotted someone in the crowd dressed as Peter Pan. Based on the build, height, and dark head of hair, she thought it was Dr. Wells.

"I'm pretty sure Dr. McGee is here dressed as Tinker Bell," Cisco informed her.

"Well, that makes sense," Caitlin replied. "Because I think I just saw Dr. Wells dressed as Peter Pan." She motioned in the direction of the person in question, but he'd vanished.

"Hey, let's not worry about Dr. Wells and Dr. McGee tonight," Ted said, slipping his arms into Caitlin's and Cisco's. "Tonight the three Musketeers are just going to have a blast!" With a shout, he dragged them into the crowd.

The night passed in a blur. Cisco and Ted both dragged Caitlin out to dance and several people asked to take pictures of the trio. Dr. McGee flitted across their line of sight several times. Seeing her in her Tinker Bell costume was impressive. Caitlin could understand why Dr. Wells was attracted to his Mercury labs counterpart. As for Dr. Wells, Caitlin only caught glimpses of him in his Peter Pan costume throughout the night. Several times she saw him dancing with an attractive woman who was dressed as Wendy.

Caitlin was sitting sipping some water when a tall man dressed all in black, with a Guy Fawkes mask, six daggers on his belt, and pilgrim hat stopped before her. "May I have this dance?" He asked with a bow. His brown hair almost touched his shoulders and Caitlin thought he sounded British. Glancing towards the dance floor where Cisco and Ted were dancing together, Caitlin caught her best friend's eye. Smiling widely, the young engineer waved his hand as if ordering Caitlin to dance.

"Of course," Caitlin agreed. Finishing off her fluids, she put the cup down on a tray as a waiter passed and stood.

"Excellent," the masked man said, holding a hand out grandly. Taking it, Caitlin grinned again and allowed him to lead the way to the dance floor. It was a slow song and while it felt strange to have someone she didn't know pull her in close, Caitlin allowed it. "I do not believe I have ever seen a Musketeer as beautiful as you," he intoned.

"Well, we come in all shapes and sizes," Caitlin answered. "Who are you?" She figured he had to be from Mercury labs.

"You may call me V," he declared. His voice sounded odd through the mask and Caitlin wondered what he looked like beneath it.

"Well, I was hoping for your real name," she replied. "Not your costume name."

"Ah, but the very point of a Halloween party is to come as you aren't. Tonight, I am V. Who I am in the outside world is not of consequence." As he spoke, Caitlin gazed into the black eyes of the mask.

"Well, in that case, you can call me Porthos." It was amusing to Caitlin to pretend to be someone else. Dancing with a complete stranger felt appropriate considering how she was feeling about life at the moment.

"It is very wonderful to meet you Porthos." He spoke grandly and Caitlin felt he had a smile on his face beneath his mask. They started chatting. As they danced they discussed the city, and the surrounding area. He was apparently an avid outdoorsman and told her about the best hiking trails.

When the song ended, he clicked his heels together and bent over her hand, pressing the lips of the mask gently to the top of her hand. "Thank you very much for the delightful dance and company." Standing, he seemed to gaze at her a moment longer before turning away. "I hope you have a marvelous night."

"Wait," Caitlin called out, but he had vanished into the crowd.

"Damn, don't you hate it when you fall for a man in a mask?" Cisco asked her, having met her as she exited the dance floor. "And I thought you had taken the first steps towards getting over Dr. Wells."

Eyes narrowing, Caitlin grabbed a glass of wine from the nearest server, downed it in one go, and took off after V. "Dr. Wells be damned," she declared to Cisco before leaving him behind.

While she searched for the costumed man, she had several more drinks. By the time she found him, near the restrooms, she had a pleasant buzz and was well on the way to being inebriated. She was actually tipsy enough that she misjudged the distance and crashed right into her target. Luckily, he had excellent reflexes. Grunting, he managed to catch and right her all in one smooth move. With a hand still on her arm to keep her steady, he cocked his head to one side.

"My dear Porthos, are you quite alright?" The concern in his voice was obvious and made Caitlin feel warm and fuzzy. Although, the alcohol in her system might have been contributing to the feeling.

"I couldn't let you get away," Caitlin informed him. "Dr. Wells be damned." She slurred a little on the last word, but was coordinated enough to snag another drink from a passing waiter.

"I'm uncertain why you are damning people, but perhaps you should let me have that drink." He attempted to steal the drink from her hands, but she dodged him by downing it.

"My drink. Get yer own," Caitlin grumbled leaning towards him. "Less dance." Taking his gloved hand, she dragged him to the dance floor. It was a faster paced song that members of the swing dance club from S.T.A.R. labs were enjoying. Letting out a long sigh, V dipped his head and pulled Caitlin close. They danced hard and fast until the song ended and another slow song began.

"You know," Caitlin began. She gazed into the black eyeholes. There must be some fabric covering them. "You're the best dancer here tonight."

Ignoring her compliment, he said, "Why have you suddenly decided to get drunk? May I ask what has happened?"

"Oh, my friends were teasing me," Caitlin replied. "See, I have this massive crush on my boss, but there's no chance I could ever date him. So, my friends were teasing me about letting you get away because you aren't our boss."

"I had assumed that one of the other Musketeers was your date." They spun and Caitlin wished they hadn't. She was now very drunk.

"Oh, god," she mumbled, trying to stumble towards the bathrooms. Luckily, V seemed to have been expecting it as he helped her to an all-gender restroom and held her hair back while she heaved into the toilet. Groaning in misery, she leaned back against the cool wall once she'd emptied her stomach.

"Feeling better?" Still in his costume, V was kneeling next to her, his mask hiding any emotions. Did he think poorly of her? No, she was certain he sounded concerned.

"Nope," she slurred. "But, I'm done vomiting."

"Then let's get you up off this floor." Gently he helped her to her feet, his strong arms wrapping around her and pulling her to his chest. It felt so good to be held, even if it was by a stranger. "Here's the sink." Carefully, he helped her get cleaned up, pausing only to remove his black gloves to reveal scarred up hands.

"You were burned?" Caitlin blinked at the hands. He didn't answer, probably not hearing her over the water. Despite the extensive scarring, his touch was smooth as he gently wiped her face.

"We should get you home," he said after a few minutes. Caitlin had spent the entire time watching him, wondering what he looked like. "Shall I call you a cab?" They exited the restroom and both looked around for Cisco or Ted. "I'm afraid I don't see either of your fellow Musketeers."

"I'll walk," Caitlin decided. "It isn't far." Pulling away from him, she'd embarrassed herself enough for tonight, she squared her shoulders and strode for the exit. At least, that's what she tried for. As drunk as she was, really she weaved her way over, wobbling some as she pushed the door open and nearly fell down the steps. Damn, she'd forgotten to get his name. Of course, she would finally meet someone that she could talk with and have no idea of his name or even what he looked like under that damn mask. Stupid costume ball.

The cool night air helped her sober up some, at least enough that she was regretting her decision to walk home. While crime in Central City wasn't horrific, it wasn't a good idea to be out by yourself. Her fears came true when somebody shoved her from behind, knocking her into the wall. Crying out, she turned as a gun was leveled at her. It was the kind of end she expected from an already bad night. After all, she'd met someone and had no idea who he was or how to find him. She'd embarrassed herself by getting drunk and then needing his help to be sick. Why not get mugged on her way home too?

Cringing, she waited for the crack of the gun, but it never came. Instead a gloved hand grabbed the gun and shoved it away at the same time. The mugger cried out in pain as V forced the gun back, tearing tendons and breaking bones. "My hand!" Sobbing, the would be attacker staggered away as V leveled the gun, stepping back and grabbing Caitlin by her sword belt with his free hand.

"Move," V commanded, moving steadily away from the attacker and forcing Caitlin to move with him. It would have been a perfect rescue, except that apparently the mugger had a friend who chose that moment to attack, taking both Caitlin and her rescuer by surprise.

In the light of the street lamps, Caitlin saw the flash of a knife. V cried out and let go of her to struggle with the new attacker. Somebody else tried to grab at Caitlin. Screaming, she fought for all she was worth, but still she was slammed hard into the wall. As she slid to the ground, she tried to figure out why the world was going fuzzy. It was the last clear thought she had as she saw V yank a knife out of his side and use it on the mugger. Then her world went black.

 **Hospital**

Somebody was holding her hand. The painful, full headache hangover she'd expected seemed to have focused entirely just above her right eye. Groaning, Caitlin put her free hand to the primary pain point. Already she could tell that she had a nasty bump on her head. What she hadn't expected was the feel of an IV going into her arm and a bandage on her forehead. Blinking rapidly, she opened her eyes, trying to figure out what had happened. Cisco was gazing at her in concern.

"Hey," he said softly, when her eyes stayed focused on him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my hangover brought a friend with it," Caitlin groaned. "What happened?" Turning her attention to the room, Caitlin realized she was in hospital. Cisco was sitting on one side of her bed, and Ted was snoring on a couch against the wall. They were dressed in casual clothes, their costumes gone.

"Somebody tried to mug you," Cisco answered. "Dr. Wells called me and suggested I get to the hospital."

"Dr. Wells?" Of course, as one of the organizers of the party, Dr. Wells would have been contacted by the police.

"Yeah." Reaching out, Cisco gently brushed some hair away from her face. "Along with being dehydrated from your binge, you ended up with a really nasty concussion and six stitches."

"Somebody pushed me into a wall." Frowning, she tried to remember everything that had happened. There had been a gun. Somebody had come to her rescue.

"Yeah, well, you're lucky that's all that happened. The police recovered a pistol and several knives. Those guys had meant business. I'm just glad you're finally awake." Cisco smiled at her, giving her hand a squeeze. "You had me worried."

"Why? What day is it?" On the couch, Ted snorted and shifted in his sleep.

"Monday," Cisco answered. Caitlin's eyes widened. The party had been Saturday night. "Yeah." He nodded, confirming her thoughts. "You've been out for over a day. Dr. Wells said to make sure you know you can take as long as you need."

"I've been asleep for nearly two days?" Her stomach grumbled. She was starving.

"Yeah. I'll see about getting a doctor or nurse. If you feel up to it, you might call Dr. Wells." Cisco slipped a phone into the hand he was holding. "Okay?"

"Okay," Caitlin agreed. She watched him stand and go to the door. "Cisco, what happened to the man who was with me?" While she couldn't remember anything about the man, she knew somebody had come to her rescue.

"No idea. I didn't hear anything about anyone other than you," Cisco answered. There was a moment of silence. "Caitlin, I'm glad you're okay," he said softly.

"Yeah, me too," she agreed. The door clicked shut as Cisco went off to find a doctor. Taking a deep breath, Caitlin looked at the phone and called Dr. Wells.

"Hello?" While the voice that answered was familiar, it was not who Caitlin had expected.

"Hello, Dr. McGee," Caitlin began. Why was she answering Dr. Wells's phone? Caitlin might expect that on a weekend, but not a weekday. "This is Caitlin Snow."

"Ah, Dr. Snow. How are you feeling? Harrison told me about what happened," Dr. McGee replied.

"I have a horrible headache, but I'm certain I'll be okay. Cisco went to get the doctor." Closing her eyes, Caitlin tried to figure out what she should say.

"Would you like to speak to Harrison? He's sleeping in, but I'm certain he wouldn't mind me waking him." The sound of Dr. McGee moving around carried over the phone.

"Oh. Uh. As long as it won't bother him," Caitlin agreed, feeling awkward about it all.

"I'm certain it won't. Just a moment." There was a pause and then Caitlin could hear Dr. McGee talking to Dr. Wells. "Harrison, you've a phone call."

"I gave at the office," came the muffled response. It made Caitlin smile.

"Indeed. Well, I'll just tell Dr. Snow that you're being too much of a layabout to speak with her."

"No! I'm awake! I wanna talk to her." He immediately sounded perkier. There was the sound of Dr. McGee snorting. "Thanks Chris. Hi Caity!" He sounded far too exuberant for a Monday morning. "I'm glad you're awake."

"Dr. Wells," Caitlin greeted him, unable to withhold her smile. "Thank you, for getting Cisco."

"No problem. I figured you'd want a familiar face there when you woke up. How are you doing?" There was a grunt as he apparently shifted around.

"I'm alive. My head hurts. I don't remember much about what happened," she admitted.

"Yes, well, according to the police, they arrived just in the nick of time. You had already lost consciousness. I'm just happy that you're okay."

"Me too. Sounds like you and Dr. McGee are having a lazy morning."

"Well, after Saturday, we both felt a need to take a day," he chuckled softly. "Look, I won't take much more of your time. I appreciate you calling me. You, Cisco, and Ted take all the time you need. We're just doing some preliminary testing on the accelerator. Safety tests and all. You three don't need to be there for that. Hell, I don't need to be there for it. Just come in when you're all rested and ready."

"Thank you. You're being very understanding." The door opened and Cisco followed a doctor into the room. "I need to go, the doctor is here."

"Alright. Looks like Chris is bringing me breakfast in bed. You get better. Tell Cisco and Ted to pamper you and listen to your doctor. Bye." He hung up before her. It saddened Caitlin a little to know that he was having such a wonderfully lazy morning with Dr. McGee. Still, the couple deserved some time together outside of the limelight. It wasn't common knowledge that Harrison was Dr. McGee's fiance. People knew she was engaged, they just didn't know who it was. Pushing thoughts of her boss and how great he was out of her head, Caitlin put on a smile for her doctor.

"You call Harrison?" Cisco asked, taking his phone back from Caitlin.

"Yeah. Dr. McGee answered. Seems they took a long weekend together," Caitlin replied. She saw the smile fall from Cisco's face as he nodded his understanding. Apparently the engineer still thought Caitlin and Dr. Wells should be a couple. Oh well. As much as Caitlin thought she'd like that, Dr. Wells and Dr. McGee were perfect together. Caitlin wasn't about to get in their way.

 **Wells House**

Christina McGee carefully placed the breakfast tray on the table next the bed. Harrison had just clicked his phone off and was smiling to himself. "Ah, I know that grin. What has you so pleased?" Looking up, his smile grew larger as he lounged in the sunlight pouring through the window onto his bed.

"Can't tell you," he teased, tucking an arm behind his head. Wearing only boxers, he looked utterly pleased with himself, his tanned skin practically glowing in the sunlight, his bright blue eyes twinkling merrily.

"Indeed. You have clearly been spending plenty of time out in the sun. How you manage it with the weather getting colder, I've no idea," Chris mused. "Now, budge over some. The doctor released you into my care and I need to change that dressing before you eat breakfast." She nodded at the white bandage that stood out starkly on his tanned abdomen.

"Yes dear," he teased, slowly and carefully moving over in the bed.

"Yes. You can tell me all about your little secret while I work," she stated. Looking at him sideways, she grinned. He couldn't keep anything from her. They'd known each other too long.

"Whatever you say dear," he agreed, chuckling softly. He was in an epic good mode, even with his injury.


End file.
